Personal Growth Mini-Course: The Complete Program!
Before we get started, I want to explain that I've designed this Mini-Course to help you with your Personal Growth. I want to shine a light on where you are now, help you visualize where you want to be, and coach you along the way. I originally designed this mini-course during the Covid-19 pandemic. BUT, I want you to know it can stand alone and be used any time you need to focus on personal growth! Because personal growth is, well...personal. To read the original intro to the mini-course, click here.
Personal growth is, for sure, something that is individualized! However, the degree of satisfaction, fulfillment, and happiness in your life does depend on certain factors. Including how much you are personally living from your truth each and every day. 🤔This can be true during very troublesome and scary times or during completely "normal" times.
Over the next 14 days, regardless of what is going on, I encourage you to play all in. Evaluate, identify, and begin to change things about YOU that you've always wanted to. You will come out the other end stronger and more ready than ever to take hold of your next chapter! 🦸🏻♀️
How Does This Mini-Course Work?
I have broken out this mini-course into daily, bite-sized nuggets of coaching for you to chew on, digest, and develop. There is a section below for each of the following 14 days. The focuses for each day are broken out by:
- Stress Buster Of The Day: A different tip each day on how to alleviate stress.
- Coaching Thought: Each day, I will pose a question that I want you to rate and/or answer. Next, I will propose an action for you to take in relation to that question. The scale for the questions that need to be rated is 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never
- Mindfulness: Gentle reminders to stay in the moment and practice gratitude.
After 14 days, you will have your individual (and very specific) personal growth plan! 📝*Don't fret if you need more than 14 days. There are no alarms or bells that go off! Take the time you need to create your personal growth plan!
You are going to want to bookmark this page and/or download the course so you have easy access each day (you can download here). The time is now! So go ahead and get a notebook/journal to use...and get started with Day 1! ⬇️
Day 1
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Focusing on Breathing is a terrific way to change your emotions. 🧘
Try this: Deep breath in through your nose...hold in for a few seconds, release. Do it again.
As you breathe, say this: Breathe in, breathe out. No fear, no doubt. 💪
Coaching Thought:
Reminder, the scale is:
1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never
Today's Question: Are you surrounded by like-minded, like-spirited, and like-hearted people?
Today's Action: Take a few minutes and think/write about this question. Answer it honestly and give it a number. If you scored 3, 4, or 5, let's explore further. Has it always been like this? Was there a time in your life when you would have answered 1 or 2? When? What has changed? How can you maximize your time with those who you bring you joy, and begin to minimize your time with those who do not?
Mindfulness:
In your notebook: Write down 3 things you are thankful for.
Day 2
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Motion changes emotion.🤸♀️
If you are feeling sad, anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed, move that body! Get up and do something, anything, that changes your physical state. Your mind will soon follow.😁
Coaching Thought:
Today's Question: Do you focus your thoughts on the present moment and what you can control?
Today's Action: Throughout the day, pay close attention to how you are feeling. If you catch yourself feeling anything other than "good," shift away immediately to the Stress Buster of the day.
Mindfulness:
Your thoughts are either empowering your greatness or contributing to your suffering. Write down: In this moment I choose to feel good.
Day 3
Stress Buster Of The Day:
When something unexpected happens, we naturally feel caught off guard. It's normal to feel sad, anxious, angry, and overwhelmed. However, we need to remember, it's essential for our health to allow the good in too. Invite happy in, and when it arrives, let it sit and stay for a while. Feel the happy. Absorb the good and happy into your being. 🤗
Coaching Thought:
Today's Question: If your life has taken an unexpected turn, tell me: What do you miss most about your "normal" life? Or, If you feel like something is "missing" from your life, has it always felt this way?
Today's Action: Think & write about:
- Who do you miss the most?
- What is it about them: their smile, their laughter, the way they hug?
- Where do you miss going?
- What is it about that place that you miss the most, or is it possible that you just miss the freedom to be able to go there?
- What do you miss doing?
- Think back to a time when you didn't long for anything different. What were you doing? Who were you with?
Mindfulness:
Close your eyes and feel the love, support, and joy from the people, places, and things that you wrote about above. Visualize them. Feel and look forward to your normal life returning.
In the depth of winter, I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer ~ Albert Camus
Day 4
Stress Buster Of The Day:
No news, no tv, and no social media this afternoon. Instead, watch a funny, laugh out loud, wet your pants movie! 😂
Coaching Thought:
Life always has a way of showing us what we need. If you've felt stressed and anxious lately, you may need a break. Or, who knows, possibly a whole life makeover. Either way, no matter what, we first need to get quiet long enough to hear what our soul is trying to tell us.
Today's Question: Are you so busy worrying about keeping up "life," that you are missing out on the life that is right in front of you?
Today's Action: Think and write about what you would not miss about life if you purposefully chose to slow down some things and/or completely stop others. Some examples are:
- Long to-do lists
- Being overbooked
- Running kids to too many activities
- Eating out
- Being tired
- Not making time for exercise or self-care
- Sleepwalking through life
- Being stressed about "life being busy"
- Hanging out with toxic people
- Not enough time for your significant other
Mindfulness:
The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary can speak ~ Hans Hofmann
You, my friend, are not meant to be a human doing. You are a human being. Life is short...design it in a way that makes your heart smile each and every day! 😃
Day 5
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Visualize yourself as a container. When it is full, and you can't carry anymore, give some away. Give it to God, your Higher Power, The Universe, or whatever feels right for you. Just give it away. You do not need to carry it all yourself. 💪
Coaching Thought:
Are you sleepwalking through your day? Sometimes we are so busy getting to the next thing we unconsciously start to put up with things that drive us crazy, raise our blood pressure, and zap the energy from right under our noses.
Today's Question: What are you tolerating?
Friend, here's the funny thing about toleration's...they are not some "magical" thing that we have to accept, that we have to go along with. NO!! Tolerations are things we put up with because:
- We are tired
- We've grown lazy
- We are scared to rock the boat and/or change our minds
Today's Action: 1) Make a list of all the things you are tolerating, like the following examples (or whatever you can think of!):
- A burned-out light bulb in the hallway closet
- Stain in your carpet
- Kids talking back
- Dead laptop battery
- A "friends" constant complaining
- Not getting enough sleep
- Doctor you don't like
- Spending your time on anything but you
- Gas gauge always-on E
- A co-worker with a bad attitude.
2) Circle 5 things you are going to STOP tolerating. Then: fix it, put up a boundary, or get rid of it altogether. 💥
Mindfulness:
After my house burned down, I saw the moon more clearly ~ Old Zen saying
Day 6
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Motion changes emotion. (Sure, I used this already, but movement really is that important! AND this time I want you to get outside!)
Get outside and take at least a 20-minute walk.🚶♀️☀️
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: How often do you enforce your personal boundaries by saying no when something does not serve you well? Do you pay close attention to self-care?
Today's Action: If you answered with a 3, 4, or 5, let's talk. Boundaries are an absolute must. Otherwise, stress and unhappiness will exist. Worrying about pleasing others more than your own self-care is self-sabotage at its finest. Caring about other's opinions more than you do about your own is precisely what causes stress and overall unhappiness.
In what ways can you start to set up boundaries that will:
- Make you feel stronger personally, and
- Leave time for self-care (such as exercising, preparing healthy meals, and 6-8 hours of sleep)?
Mindfulness:
When you know better, you do better. Write down: I am choosing to do better. 👍
Day 7
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Remember, what you focus on you feel.
Take a few minutes and center yourself with your thoughts. Think about something that makes you smile. Like a hug from a loved one, your favorite vacation spot, the smells of Thanksgiving dinner, a beloved furry pet, or the day you said, "I do."
Feel love. 💕Choose joy. 😊
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: How frequently do you engage life in a way that brings happiness, even if it means you are temporarily out of your comfort zone?
Today's Action: If you scored this question with a 3, 4, or 5....listen to me friends, life is not a dress rehearsal. Happiness is a direct result of progress. Progressing, doing, going after, and making things happen is what brings a feeling of being alive and joy to our lives.
What is something you've been putting off doing because you are afraid you will fail, look foolish, or be judged? 🤔
Write 3 steps you can take right now to minimize the doubt you have. Then, one by one, take the steps. Please note, if it's not possible to take the actual steps now, open your calendar and plan a time when you will be able to in the future.
** This is not to be confused with planning and achieving goals at the expense of your mental, physical, and spiritual health. No, I am talking about engaging in the things that brings your soul alive. 🎆
Mindfulness:
Close your eyes and visualize doing what you thought about above. Breathe in, breathe out. How do you feel? What does it feel like in your heart, mind, and soul? Let that feeling sink in. Invite it to stay.
Day 8
Before we get started...CONGRATS, you are over halfway through the course! Keep going Strong! 🥂
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Stop monitoring your moods and go make meaning. Remember, it is in giving that we receive. What can you do for someone else today?
Give love. Give hope. 😘
Coaching Thought:
Life has a way of throwing unexpected curveballs. Unexpected, they may be, but that certainly does not mean they happen for no reason! In the midst of uncertain times, when the dust has settled a bit, and some slice of normal arrives, we can choose how we want to be in this new place. Today, I want you to do just that. Reflect back on a time when you were hit with a curveball and asked: "why me, why now?"
Today's Question: While thinking about your past curveball, can you reframe the situation so it happened for you, and not happened to you?
Today's Action: Read over your personal growth notes from the last week and ask yourself the following questions:
- What do I see?
- What is emerging?
- Where does the hope lie?
- How have I grown?
- What good has come from this so far?
- How could this be happening for me?
Mindfulness:
Our greatest human freedom is that, despite whatever our physical situation is in life, we are always free to choose our thoughts. ~ Viktor E. Frankl
Day 9
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Feeling off, frustrated, or stuck is a direct result of not living to your full potential.
Today, throughout the day, repeat this phrase: I am open to joy by embracing my purpose. 🤗
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: When challenges arise in life, how often do you recognize that your purpose is more significant than your problem?
Today's Action: If you have a deep sense of a "Hell, Yes" about your life's purpose, my guess is you scored a 1 or 2. It is also my guess that your score is the same today as it would have been 6 months ago. Even in challenging moments, your purpose is bigger than your problem.
However, if you scored a 3, 4, or 5, go ahead and spend some time thinking about your purpose and what you want to contribute in this lifetime. It is just you and the paper. Be real. Be honest. Then ask: Are my daily thoughts and actions aligned with this purpose? If no, in what ways can you begin to bridge that gap?
Mindfulness:
Every day, and in every way, I am becoming better and better. ~ Emile Coue
Day 10
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Take control of your thoughts. 💪
Worry thought comes in, ask: Is this enhancing or hindering my joy?
Then act accordingly!
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: How often do you have control over your internal chatterbox?
Today's Action: If you scored this question with a 3, 4, or 5, it's time to listen up by shutting up your internal chatterbox! All-day today, I want you to pay attention to that little voice in your head that is always chatting, often worrying, usually judging, and commonly filled with doom and gloom.
When you do "catch" it, just quietly ask the chatter to leave and replace it with a more loving thought. Just like you do with fire, I want you to Stop, Drop, and Roll. Chatter starts, you STOP it, DROP it, and then ROLL right into a more loving, kind, and powerful thought. 🔥
Mindfulness:
Being in control of the mind means that literally, anything that happens can be a source of joy. ~ Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Day 11
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Make a deposit into the bank of you today. Do something, anything, that will enhance the quality of your day. 🌸
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: How frequently do you focus on and enhance the things you love in life?
Today's Action: If you scored this question with a 3, 4, or 5, I think you get the drill by now! Energy flows to where your focus goes. Being COMPLETELY honest, ask yourself the following:
- How much energy do I waste focusing on negativity?
- How much energy do I invest in creating and enhancing things I love in my life?
See the gap? What is one thing you can do to close the gap?
Mindfulness:
Where my focus goes, my energy flows. ~ Tony Robbins
Day 12
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Take a walk. Bonus points if it's outside. 🌿🌞
Coaching Thought:
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: How often are you satisfied with your overall energy level?
Today's Action: If you scored this question with a 3, 4, or 5, it's time to make an energy plan. Energy is not something that just magically appears. It is something that has to be created! Unless, of course, you have a medical condition that inhibits your energy level. Otherwise, you can do this! There are many ways to cultivate energy, but for now, I suggest you:
Begin to focus on 3 things: Water, Exercise, and a Positive Attitude. If you have enough of all three, you'll feel an adequate and healthy amount of energy. Lack of just one area, you will have lower energy. In two areas, you will be irritable, negative, and definitely have a lack of energy. Absence of all three...you don't need me to tell you! Get going!!
Mindfulness:
Write down: I am open to energy, and I am taking action.
Day 13
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Smile. Now....as you are reading these words. Doesn't that feel good?
Smile 10x more than you usually do today. Smile at yourself, your houseplants, the sky, your kids, your computer, or your pet. Just keep smiling. 😀
Coaching Thought:
There is a saying that goes something like this: When you have the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.
On a scale of 1-5, with 1: Always 2: Very Frequently 3: Now and Again 4: Very Rarely 5: Never, rate the following:
Today's Question: When given a choice, how often do you choose kind over right?
Today's Action: We all have a little voice within us that is often talking, chatting loudly at times, and quietly at other times. Its purpose is to throw you off of your game by listening to negativity, ruminating over what others think, or questioning your ability to make decisions. That little voice is continually comparing right from wrong and judging good versus bad. While this is common, it does not mean it is helpful. When you come from a place of Universal Ego and "I know better, I can do better," this, my friend, is not aligned with your highest and best self.
If you rated this question with a 3, 4, or 5, pay attention to that voice and practice choosing kind. NOT because you are a doormat, unintelligent, or because you give up.
Choosing and arguing "right" will leave you second-guessing, ruminating, fuming, wondering, and resenting. Your "right" is subjective. You will always want to defend it. Hence the ruminating, fuming, resenting, and wondering.
Instead.....
Choose "kind" from a place of certainty. From this place, you no longer entertain that little voice. You trust yourself and place more value on that trust than on the opinions of others. You choose to make room to grow in peace instead of being stuck in "right."
Mindfulness:
Close your eyes and visualize choosing kind. Breathe in, breathe out. How do you feel? What does it feel like in your heart, your mind, and your soul? Let that feeling sink in. Invite it to stay.
Day 14
Stress Buster Of The Day:
Remember, at any given moment, you can shift away from unhealthy stress. Here are some suggestions to build your stress-busting toolbox for life 🧰:
- Take a walk
- Turn off your phone, social media, and news
- Call a friend
- Write or say affirmations
- When happy arrives, invite it to come, sit, and stay
- Breathe in, breathe out
- DANCE
- Write in your gratitude journal
- Lean into your faith and hope
- Exercise, smile, and laugh
Coaching Thought:
Today's Question: How can I make this a time in my life where growth, confidence, and raising my own standards is a natural everyday occurrence?
Today's Action: As you continue to grow, remember personal growth is an on-going process, not a destination. Over the next few days, go back and reflect on the last 14 days: your notes, actions, struggles, and everything in between. I promise you, there is gold in there!
Mindfulness:
Be at least as interested in what goes on inside you as what happens outside. If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place. ~ Eckhart Tolle
Personal Growth...Here YOU Come!
You, my friend, are a work in progress...so keep going. Learn something new. Practice it. Repeat it. Keep stretching and growing that courage muscle. If you do, I promise you will never regret it!
Yes, the mini-course is officially over, but I want to do everything I can to encourage you to continue on your journey. I love comments, so leave me a message about your personal growth. Hit me up on social media or send me an email (denuellemeyer@gmail.com). I want to hear from you!
Download the PDF version of this mini-course by clicking on the image below!
Love this post? Pin it!!
PS...Have you downloaded your copy of my freebie, Slay Phrases That Are Making You Crazy? If not, click here to get your copy today! Don't miss this chance to learn how to slay what is weighing you down! Ditch the Psycho-Terrorism.