Introduction

Personal development is a process in which every aspect of one’s life may

be improved. Through personal development, an individual can better understand
himself, his potentials, strengths and weaknesses as well as one’s aspirations.
The only way on how an individual may grow in all aspects is to develop himself
and his character as well. The quality of an individual’s life, as well as his happiness
and success in life are all products of personal development.

Self-development skills are those abilities and talents which an individual

possess that may help him to grow both personally and professionally. Once these
skills are improved, an individual can maximize his potential. One of the most
rational decision that an individual make for himself is to struggle toward
continuous development.
People build personal development skills to make themselves better, to be
satisfied with their lives and to reach their goals. These skills can be attained by
an individual through continuous education, self-help and advices from mentors
and professionals.
Individuals set personal development goals so they may improve the quality
of their lives, they want to become better people and to achieve more so they can
better version of themselves.
Personal development skills are used personally and professionally by
individuals to improve their strengths, enhance their career, make themselves
better, find contentment and to reach their goals.
Examples of Personal Development Skills
Personal development skills are those traits or abilities which an individual
already acquired through education and training. People value their personal
development skills depending on their goals in life.
Examples below are skills which people usually aim to develop:
1. Leadership
2. Communication
3. Interpersonal
4. Human Relation
5. Self-confidence
6. Work Ethic
7. Integrity
8. Problem Solving
9. Adaptability
1. Leadership is the ability to direct and guide people. Good leaders are good in
motivating other people to finish their task and to accomplish their goals. They are
also good in building confidence and improving the morale of the employees. Good
leaders are happy in developing subordinates to become leaders.
2. Communication is the ability of person to speak, listen and write using different
media. This skill is relevant for all people so they can say what they want to convey.
People need this skill so they can be confident in dealing with other people both
personally and professionally.
3. Interpersonal skill or person to person skill use both verbal and nonverbal
communication to interact with other people. This skill affects the ability of a person
to build good relationship and make a positive impression about himself.
4. Human relation skill is the ability of an individual to interact with other people
in a good way in order to build a harmonious relationship with others.
5. Self Confidence is an individual’s positive attitude toward himself. This skill
will help you trust yourself more so you will likely reach your goals and ambitions
in life. Being confident about himself means accepting one’s strengths and the
weaknesses.38
6. Work Ethic is an attitude which an individual person possesses which permits
him to perform his duties and make decisions with positive moral values like
humility, teamwork, discipline, responsibility and determination. Individuals with
good work ethics are those with positive attitude and productive.
7. Integrity means doing the right thing in all situations. This is the practice when
an individual is honest and shows strong ethical principles and values in his
actions. A person with high integrity has also good name and more opportunities
for career growth.
8. Problem Solving skill is the ability of an individual to solve challenges and
problems in all the situations. This skill can be seen in a person when he stays
calm during challenges. Those persons who have good problem solving skills are
those who can continue working under pressure.
9. Adaptability Skill is the ability of a person to adjust to changes in an environment.
Individuals who possess this skill can respond quickly to changes in ideas, work tasks,
expectations, trends, systems and processes in the place of work. Adaptable people
possess soft skills like problem solving skills, creative thinking skills, interpersonal skills
and others (Indeed, 2020).39

Personal development skills can be enhanced by continuously educating

oneself, learning from mentors and other professionals, acquiring more talents and
enhancing the existing ones. The following strategies may help improve self
development skills:
1. Overcome Fears
A person who have so many fears can hinder him to progress and grow. If
an individual is afraid to talk in front of many people, he can enroll in a class which
focus on developing confidence while speaking in public. If a person always fear of
taking risks, he can find a mentor or professional who can help him build his
confidence so he can take risks. People have to learn new things and processes
which he has not learned before and he is not confident of doing, so will grow.
2. Read
Being a wide reader always has an advantage of increasing his/her
vocabulary and will keep him informed. Reading inspires us and arouses our interest
to learn new things. Reading at least one book, motivational article per month is an
important tasks which keeps us brilliant and updated.
3. Learn something new
Learning something new like new process, method, skill, topic or concept will
add to your knowledge. To continuously learn, a person can take special courses
like learning foreign language, public speaking, leadership course, Coursera, new
software, learner’s management system and others. Students at present are valuing
the online learning and using some platforms to learn at home. Professors have
learned some new system on how go teach online. They also attended many
webinars and professional development topics so they will be updated on some
trends in different subject areas.
4. Ask for Feedback
Asking feedback from a colleague, friend or family member about your recent
accomplishment or finished tasks will be very helpful. The positive and negative
comments from these people have to be used and evaluated. The constructive
criticisms have to be accepted so it will be used to improve for the better. The
different perspectives of other people who are unbiased will be useful information
and input for a person to improve his craft.
5. Observe Others
The role models which an individual always looked up to can serve as an
inspiration to do better. They can be a manager, a public figure, family member and
professionals. The good qualities and characteristics of the role model being
observed can be used in improving oneself.
6. Network
Building network by means of joining different organizations and participating
with different programs, attending seminars, trainings and events may be useful in
meeting more people and establishing relationship with them. New ideas and
knowledge from these people can be used in improving self development skills.
7. Blogging
Keep your thoughts and ideas written by blogging. Through this, you can
share your experiences and ideas about a recent subject matter which are important
part of your self-development. A deep reflection on a certain topic or events,
decisions or conversation can be thought of carefully and be written in the blogs.
8. Reflect
People have to learn to deeply reflect on something to reduce anxiety and
stress. Thinking deeply may help an individual assess himself better so he can focus
on improving self-development skills in a very calm and positive manner. By self
reflection and analyzing your self for some time, you can focus and relax. 42
9. Get a mentor
A mentor is someone who can help a person build his self-development
skills. This can be a former professor, manager, professional whom you admire.
These mentors may help a person identify some of his weak points so it may be
turned into strengths (Indeed, 2020)
Personal Development Skills in the Workplace
The personal development skills that an individual had developed may also
be useful when he enter the corporate world.
1. Be an active listener
To be an active listener is to pay attention to what the speaker is saying. An
employee has to focus and understand on what the supervisor or clients are saying
so he can use those information to do his/her tasks well. Effective listening and
communications skills are tools in developing skills in the workplace.
2. Work well with others
People’s skills are valuable skills that an individual need to have so he will
be a team player in an organization. The human skills which are the social skills
that have to be maintained with co-employees, customers, superiors and to other
acquaintances in order to build positive relationships.
3. Organize work, time and other materials
Organizing as an important function involves putting things and people in
order in an organization. All the tasks and activities have to planned in order to
know which should be prioritized. A well organized person can better accomplish
his tasks well and achieve his goals.
4. Work through challenging situations
Challenges in the workplace are normal and an employee has to deal with
these challenges. He has to evaluate the alternative courses of action and choose
the best solution from these options in order to come up with a sound solution. 43
Those people who work under pressure with so many complexities in the workplace
usually are more likely to work under pressure and make better decision in personal
life and career life.
5. Believe in yourself
Self confidence is a positive feeling that a person can have to make him
better employee. An individual has to believe in himself that he can make sound
decisions so other may likely believe in him as well. This positivity about oneself
can be a good motivator for other employees so they can also handle challenges
in the workplace.
6. Adapt to Change
Flexibility is the ingredient used to be able to adapt to changes. An employee
has to learn to adapt in his work environment, with his/her tasks and with employees
and superiors. People with this kind of attitude can work in a team, accepts new
ideas, learn through training and continuous education and other ways so he can
welcome changes in his work and in his personal life.
7. Be true
Positive relationships start by being true and honest with oneself and with
colleagues. Practicing values and ethics in all an individual’s undertakings can
motivate other employees. Integrity of the people inside an organization leads to
job satisfaction, motivation, respect and good reputation.
8. Commitment and Passion about your Job
The commitment and passion about one’s job serves as their passport to be
a productive part of the organization. People who are dedicated and committed are
productive employees and they often produce quality jobs. Their dedication will
motivate them to even work harder to complete their tasks on time. 44
9. Mentor others
Mentoring employees and being a good leader requires vision, knowledge,
communication and self confidence. People who possess leadership skills may
help the organization attain teamwork and achieve their objectives (Indeed, 2020).
SUMMARY
Individuals set personal development goals so they may improve the
quality of their lives, they want to become better people and to achieve
more so they can better version of themselves.
Personal development skills are used personally and professionally by
individuals to improve their strengths, enhance their career, make
themselves better, find contentment and to reach their goals.
Personal development skills can be enhanced by continuously
educating oneself, learning from mentors and other professionals,
acquiring more talents and enhancing the existing ones.

Stress is a feeling of physical or emotional tension which occurs when a

person is angry, frustrated, upset or nervous. To cope with stress is a process of
dealing with it after a stressor has been felt by a person. Coping with stress is a
personal choice of a person depending on how he deals with stress. The coping
strategies depends on the type of person, social context and the nature of
stressors.
There are two types of stress
1. Acute stress
This is a short-term stress which can be felt by person and goes quickly.
Examples are fight with your siblings or with your friend. Sometimes it occurs when
you did something exciting like seeing your boyfriend or girlfriend after one year.
This are just normal feeling and all people have experience acute stress in their
lives.
2. Chronic stress
This type of stress occurs for a long period of time like when you are paying
your credit card for a long time already, or you have a broken home or you have
problem on your employment status. This stress type occurs for weeks or months.
If a person does not know how to manage this type of stress, it may lead to health
problems.
Lesson 6: Coping With Stress
Lesson 6.1 Coping Strategies48
Coping is a process where people spend considerable time and effort to
minimize or solve some personal problems. Coping mechanisms aims to minimize
stress which usually occur in our life. This is the coping skills or strategies. These
coping strategies aimed to deal or reduce stress which a person encounter.
Although some strategies used are unhealthy or ineffective. Behaviors which are
maladaptive are those which hinder a person to adjust to some problems and
situations.
Coping Strategies:
The following strategies may help a person in coping with stress:
1. Appraisal-focused strategy
This is a process where a person changes his thoughts in connection with
stress. To avoid stress, people modify the way they think about the problems by
using other approaches to deal with stress or sometimes they change their goals
and values to lessen their stress.
2. Problem-focused strategy
A strategy which aims to check on the root cause of the stressors. People
try to lessen or remove the stress by researching about the stressors and the
strategies or skills needed to solve it.
3. Emotion-focused strategy
This strategy address the feelings caused by the stressor. People usually
change their emotions by letting go of the stress feelings, diverting with other
activities or trying to manage their own rational state of mind.
Most people used combination of these three strategies when they want to
cope with stress.49
Adaptive vs. Maladaptive Strategies
1. Adaptive Strategy
This type of strategy is positive coping strategy which lessens the amount
of stress which are felt and experienced by a person. Providing constructive
feedback may lessen the amount of stress. Examples of this type is when a person
is supported by friends and relatives to cope with stress and a person may learn
from the stressful experience in order to cope up. Sustaining good physical and
mental health, practicing stress free relation techniques, going out with friends in
a coffee shop and watching comedy movies are some other ways of positive
coping strategies which can be used.
2. Maladaptive Strategy
This is a negative coping strategy which may be useful in removing or
managing stress, although the result may be not functional. This provides a quick
fix that hinders the ability of the person to break apart between the stressor and
symptoms of anxiety. This strategy provide short-term relief only. Some examples
of maladaptive strategies are numbing out, avoidance of problem, escape and
often detachment. (Coping with and Managing Stress, 2020)50

People who experience stress in their lives due to problems at work or even
personal problems has to stop for a while and take some steps back to rest. There
are signs or symptoms which people feel when they feel stressed.
Some of the activities which people do to relax may include walking,
listening to music, reading a book, watching a movie, spending time with friends or
loved one in a coffee shop, taking care of pet, baking and others. All these activities
may relax the minds and body of the person under stress.
In order to feel good, some people find hobbies which are enjoyable for
them so they will feel relax. Others turn to their friends for small talk so they can
relax. Some join groups or organizations to participate in their activities and also
to gain support if they are under stress.
Measures to Manage Stress
1. Nutrition
A balance diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables may improve the immune
system of a person especially in times of stress.
2. Exercise
Doing physical exercise is necessary and useful when people are under
stress.
3. Lessen intake of alcohol, drugs and caffeine
Avoid intake of alcoholic beverages, drugs and caffeine to prevent stress
and not to make it worse.
4. Organize
Organizing things and activities which should be prioritized may help lessen
stress level of a person. A daily “To Do list” has to be maintained and the tasks
achieved has to be checked so he will not focus on what he has not completed for
the day.
5. Time
People have to plan and organize their time to meet their busy schedules
so they will have time to relax and do other things which are of their interest.
6. Breathing and relaxation
Deep breathing to relax, meditation, yoga may be used to strengthen the
heart. Meditation may also be helpful to promote relaxation.
7. Talking
Talking and sharing feelings with family members, friends and work
colleagues may reduce stress since you can open up some bad feelings that
causes your stress. These people may also offer some workable solutions to
lessen the stress level.
8. Acknowledging the signs
People who are so nervous about his problem will cause stress and
sometimes they don’t even notice the effects on their body. It is so important to
look if there are signs or changes in your body caused by stress. (Stress: Why
does it happen and how can we manage it?, 2020)
The following “Stress Management Techniques” are offered from cognitive
to physical to environment.
(Coping with and Managing Stress, 2020)53

To cope with stress is a process of dealing with it after a stressor has
been felt by a person. Coping with stress is a personal choice of a
person depending on how he deals with stress. The coping strategies
depends on the type of person, social context and the nature of
stressors.
People who experience stress in their lives due to problems at work or
even personal problems has to stop for a while and take some steps
back to rest. There are signs or symptoms which people feel when
they feel stressed.
In order to feel good, some people find hobbies which are enjoyable for
them so they will feel relax. Others turn to their friends for small talk so
they can relax. Some join groups or organizations to participate in their
activities and also to gain support if they are under stress.