Focus

Looking for something to help you in your self-development? We recommend learning to play golf rather than reading self-help books. 

Self-development may sound like a yawn. If you subscribe to the old-school way of thinking, you might be thinking of therapy, hours of lying on a sofa talking about your insecurities. Or maybe a bookshelf of self-help books, all of which say contrasting things. 

But the truth is, every day, every situation is a chance for self-development. Work, recreation, interactions with others… The opportunities are endless. 

But one of the things that supercharge your self-development is learning something new. A language. A skill. Or a sport. We’re a huge fan of learning sports as self-development because it incorporates both physical and mental improvement. 

If you’re wondering which sport specifically, learning to play golf is one of the best sports to help you in your self-development. Here’s why! 

 

It Includes Physical, Mental, and Emotional Development 

One of the greatest things about golf is that it helps you to develop multiple skills at the same time. Physical, mental, and emotional skills are all at play on the golf course, so that makes it a wonderful opportunity for self-development in many areas… All at the same time. 

If you’re looking for physical development, golf is a great place to start, no matter your fitness level. It’s an excellent way to get in moderate cardio, because a round of golf contains close to 10,000 steps! You’ll also get a decent upper body workout when you swing. 

Physical self-development aside, you’ll have the chance to work on mental and emotional skills as well. Learning how to stay calm under pressure, thinking strategically, handling unexpected situations (like a rogue wind), and focusing on the task at hand are all important self-development skills you can work on while you’re on the golf course. 

It Requires Consistency & Practice 

You can’t improve your golf game without consistent practice. In the same way, you can work on your self-development without consistency and patience. Just like you can’t develop a precise putt by watching YouTube videos, you can’t work on self-development skills by reading self-help books. 

You need to actually practice. Often. Want to improve your handicap? You need to spend enough time on the course for improved skills to become muscle memory. Want to become more patient? You need to spend enough time working on it for it to become your default. 

The beauty of golf is that you can do both at the same time. Working on your handicap means you’re automatically working on your patience, your focus, your strategy, and a number of other things at the same time. 

You Can Learn No Matter Your Skill Level 

Golf is a great sport for anybody, regardless of skill level. If you’re totally new to the game, you can easily begin with mini golf or adventure golf to get a good feel for the clubs in your hand and the nuance of putting. 

From there, you can move to the driving range, where you can learn how to swing and work on your aim before you get to the course. You can also play around with training aids on the putting and chipping greens, getting comfortable before you play a full round. 

That means that whether you’ve played golf before or you’re a complete newbie, you can still have fun learning both the game and self-development skills! 

It Gets You Close to Nature 

There’s something to be said about playing sports surrounded by nature. Playing on a sports field may be outdoors, but there’s nothing quite like playing your way through trees, over water, out of the sand, and with lovely 360-degree views of nature. 

Research suggests that being close to nature is great for mental health. Not only do you get sunshine on your skin and fresh air in your lungs, but nature is calming. This is the best place to be when you’re trying to work on self-improvement! 

You Can Work On It Alone or With Others 

Self-development may begin with “self”, but that doesn’t mean you only have to do it when you’re alone. The support of others is important when it comes to both sports and self-improvement. 

Golf is unique in that it can be an individual sport, but you can also do it with friends. If you’re working on both your game and your self-development, taking a supportive friend along for a round can be motivating both for your game and your self-development skills. 

It’s Extremely Rewarding 

Working hard on your golf game does yield results if you’re consistent. There’s no feeling quite like hitting your first perfect, powerful drive right down the fairway. Or sinking a long putt on a difficult green. The markers of improvement are easy to see and give you great goals to aim for along the way. 

Self-development is similar. The sense of pride and peace when you realize you’ve crossed a threshold in your self-development is something that you don’t forget. Whatever skills you’re aiming to develop, you don’t forget the rewarding feeling when you realize all your hard work has paid off. 

Conclusion 

Sport is a fantastic way to work on your self-development. Whatever you want to improve, you can do it with sports if you just wrap your head around it the right way. 

Golf isn’t the only sport that can boost your self-improvement efforts. But we definitely believe it’s the best one! We may be biased, but between the proximity to nature, the safe level of activity, the accessibility, and the mental, emotional, and physical benefits, we can’t find another sport that even comes close. 

If you already play golf, consider this an excellent excuse to play more often! If you’re only learning to play golf now, enjoy every moment, and remember you’re working on yourself in many ways while learning. 

And if you’ve never played before, now may be the best time to start! It could make the biggest difference to your mental, emotional, and physical health. 

About the Author

Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer who understands first-hand the effect golf can have on one’s mental, emotional, and physical health. When he’s not on the course, he’s researching and writing articles for his website, Golf Influence. 

Going back to school as an adult may seem like an impossible task, especially if you have a full life as it is. But if you are planning on returning to school again, here are some helpful tips on how to make it look easy.

Try to get as organized as possible

One of the first things you’ll want to do when getting reacquainted with school again, whether online or in person, is to familiarize yourself with your coursework and try to get as organized as possible regarding your course milestones. Reading through your course framework as well as jotting down important information such as your tutor’s details and who to contact when you have a query should help you save time should you encounter hurdles along the way.

Getting your home schedule in sync with your work schedule

If you have other obligations to see to, such as family commitments or even another job to work around, then it might be helpful to get all your schedules in sync with each other so that you don’t run into difficulties down the line. Technology can help with this if you want to make sure everyone is aware of what’s on the agenda daily with apps such as Cozi or Flayk.

Track your goals

Keeping track of your goals is all the more worthwhile if you can achieve them in the timeframe you set out to achieve them. Therefore, it is vital to keep track of your goals on a daily and weekly basis. For example, you may want to diarize important assignment dates as well as set weekly goals for yourself so that you stay on track with your syllabus.

Establishing what your ultimate goal is

Speaking of goal setting, perhaps your goal is to achieve your education so that you can open up your own business one day. If so, it would be helpful to look into the various business structures that are available to ensure you select the right one from the start. For example, an LLC might just work out the best for you if you want a business type with plenty of benefits, including tax benefits such as not having to pay corporate federal income tax; more flexibility when it comes to the management structure of your business should your business scale up one day; limited liability, etc. Furthermore, a formation service can assist you with all the ins and outs of registering your business and are even on top of the different regulations that apply in each state if you decide to move one day.

Branch out

Suppose you already have extensive experience in a certain field, then why not take a professional development course rather than going the longer route of acquiring a new or more advanced degree in your field? For example, if you are in the medical field and are already quite familiar with medical codes, then you can choose from among online medical coding courses to help extend your knowledge even further. You can even take an assessment at the end of the course to verify your skill level in this area to ensure that you know how to assign the correct medical codes and what they mean in terms of medical procedures and service claims.

So, if you plan on studying further, don’t let the passage of time prevent you from achieving your dreams. Also, you can help to reduce your length of study by using professional development courses to help save you time in the end.

For motivational tips on various topics, visit the Keep The Fire Lit website for more information.

 

Image via Pexels

 

 

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Growing up, many of us were encouraged to keep a journal or a diary. We might not have been aware of the benefits it came with but we did it all the same. Writing your thoughts in your little book of secrets seemed so mysterious and exciting until we grew out of it. With the everyday jostle and a busy schedule, sometimes it becomes hard for one to consider writing in a journal. Just like how we become so pumped up at the beginning of the year, we see the need to document our resolutions and how the previous year went, it should continue like that throughout the year. The reason why many of our resolutions are never realized is how we choose not to make a habit of journaling.

One might be wondering why they should keep a journal as it might seem trivial. There are many benefits to keeping a journal, it has been seen to be a great way of reducing stress and anxiety in turn improving a person`s mood. People who keep journals have better mental health and even physical health as the immune system is boosted. It helps you to organize, clarify, and articulate your thoughts. You develop better self-knowledge and problem-solving skills. It even aids with creativity and innovation as you get time to brainstorm on ideas, enhancing the curiosity to learn new things.

Keeping a journal sounds easy, l mean what could go wrong with just writing your thoughts in a book? Plenty of us at some point picked up a book and started journaling maybe for a couple of days and probably just lost interest in the process. It takes a lot of willpower and organization for one to be able to be consistent about keeping a journal. Below are some amazing tips to help you keep going once you start, all the while enjoying the process as well as getting the most out of it.

Always have your journal with you

Your journal shouldn’t be a book for special occasions or just one you use when you want to write something special.  Dump all your thoughts into it. By always being with your journal you give yourself more chances to write in it. You get to scribble down ideas and decisions you might need to get back to. Inspiration can strike anytime. And if you have a journal that you can also color in, it allows you to have something to do that is both therapeutic and relaxing. A coloring journal allows you to plan out your week or further ahead, while also having fun coloring.

Make lists

It is not always easy to make detailed entries in your journal especially when you always have a busy schedule or when you are someone who doesn’t really like writing. A bullet journal will work just perfectly for you. Write lists instead,

• things you like,
• what excited you today.
• Interesting quotes you come across
• bucket lists.

You don’t have to narrate your whole day.

Create a layout that works for you

Write in a way that makes the experience enjoyable, one that allows you to go back at some time and still understand what you were writing about. If you list your goals, things you want to work on, let them be clear also with a specified time frame that allows you to go back to them and track your progress. Include how you plan to achieve the desired goal in well-articulated steps.

Don’t be hung up on perfection

Many times we end up losing the zeal to write because we will be obsessing about doing it the right way. There is no right way to do it. Embrace your thoughts and go wherever they take you, it is alright to be spontaneous. Your handwriting doesn’t have to be perfect, that idea doesn’t have to make sense entirely before you can scribble it down. If you find it difficult to write anything down unless it’s “perfect”, then before you start, write at the top, “no one else has to see this”or  “practice  pages  only”  or  something  else  that  will  encourage  you  to write,  rather  than  edit  yourself  before  starting  to write.

Don’t overthink it…

Write it down no matter how ridiculously big or how small the idea might be. Write about what scares you; your long-term goals, the short-term ones and be sure to always document your wins and celebrate them no matter how small they might be. Keep your journal entries short and easy to follow up on. Use diagrams  or mind maps or speech bubbles or drawings of scrolls or whatever you want to record a few words and make them stand out.

Journal consistently

Make it a culture, it might not necessarily be every day but to make the habit stick it is advisable to write daily and even push it with a specific time you find flexible. It doesn’t have to take a lot of time you give yourself – five minutes daily to write up a few thoughts. You can even choose to write during a specific activity during your day, if you take a bus to work or to school you can even make the bus ride a time for reflection and writing daily. Set reminders if you are one to forget.

Eliminate distractions while journaling

To be in sync with your mind and to able to tap into the creative realm your mind should be free of distractions. Find a serene spot that is relaxing which makes it easier for you to focus. If music calms you down, play some to shut out all other distractions. Or maybe color in and focus on the coloring. It is surprising what useful ideas suddenly start appearing!

No need to make it too serious!

Journaling should be fun. If you love color and glitter, if you are into pictures include some in it. It does not have to be strictly writing. Spice it up to keep it interesting in line with your preferences. Sketch a drawing if you want to.

If you have not yet started the journaling journey, anytime is the right time to do it. Don’t wait for the beginning of the month or the year, start now. Grab a book and get on it, you will not regret it!

 

 

 

 

 

Journaling Helps Because …

Journaling gives you the power to master your emotions, track your thought patterns, get rid of bad habits, and understand what needs to be changed in your life. It is also a great way of understanding yourself and makes it easier for you to trace as well as eliminate negative thoughts or emotions that harm your work.

Journaling makes it easier for you to recognize some of the things that prevent you from reaching your daily goals and enables you to avoid them. It improves your productivity levels by helping you better understand where you went wrong, what you should have done, and what you mustn’t do if you are to remain productive throughout the day. That is why successful people recommend you start journaling or continue doing so if you have already begun.

Keeping a daily record of your experiences, thoughts, and emotions improves your mental health and keeps you coming up with effective solutions to the problems or challenges you face. It helps you to better understand the mistakes that have already occurred and ensures you avoid them in the future.

Maintaining your focus throughout the day isn’t easy but it is the only way of getting work done, progressing, and accomplishing whatever goal you set. It is the one thing that gives you a reason to say “What a productive day!” and leaves you feeling good about yourself.

Journaling can improve your focus by:

1. Providing you with a track of your successes

One of the best things about journaling is that it enables you to keep a record of your successes, thoughts, and the way you felt after reaching a certain goal which encourages you to continue working and concentrating on doing what needs to be done to achieve your goals. Doing this means you will know how to keep a self improvement journal.

Keeping a record of your successes means understanding your own self improvement and draws your attention to getting things done despite your environment, setbacks, etc. It is a brilliant way of reminding yourself that the only way of reaching your aims or meeting deadlines is by focusing on putting in the hours and refusing to give in to distractions.

It is also a great way of providing a record of your work throughout the year, so you can discuss all your successes with your boss, especially those types of boss who recall only the last few weeks and any mistakes you may have made. This is one of the benefits of keeping a journal.

2. Helping you eliminate distractions.

Distractions will inevitably occur as you work. So, the only way of eliminating them is by knowing where they originate from as well as how you let them interfere with your work. Recognizing the negative impact that giving in to distractions has on your work will make it easier for you to get rid of them. Writing down your thoughts and experiences helps you to recognize time-wasting activities as well as negative thought-patterns and eliminate them so that you can use your time productively and concentrate more on what you want to achieve.

Journaling is an effective method of recognizing where distractions come from, how many times a day they occur, how they get into your life, as well as how you let them interfere with your work and makes it possible for you to come up with the most efficient ways of eliminating them.

3. Helping you control your thoughts

Journaling causes you to realize the importance of understanding and controlling your thoughts in meeting your daily targets and succeeding in every area of your life. It helps you recognize that the way you think about a situation determines how efficient you will be at turning things around. Recording your thoughts is a smart way of detecting negative thought-patterns, understanding them, controlling them, and changing them. Detecting negative thought-patterns enables you to eliminate them, improves your focus, and keeps you concentrating on your work.

4. Helping you understand and get rid of negative emotions

Your emotions have the power to prevent you from working as well as distracting you from doing what needs to be done. Keeping a daily record of your emotions and understanding how they affect your work or behaviors makes it easier for you to minimize negative feelings, stop them from interfering with your work, and in turn get more work done.

5. Reducing stress

One of the worst things about stress is that it keeps you from working and leaves you feeling unworthy of whatever it is you are aiming for. Reducing stress or getting rid of it is the best way of ensuring you do what needs to be done and retain your focus throughout the day. Journaling is a great way of minimizing stress because you can write about your feelings, thoughts, as well as things that bother you without fearing you’ll be judged.

Writing things down is the most effective way of stopping daily stresses from interfering with your work and improving your focus. So, take advantage of the power of tracking your thoughts, emotions as well as experiences, and reach any goal you set.