MET 2: DEVELOPING THE WHOLE PERSON

FORMATIVE QUESTIONS: Why is it important to know yourself better? What are the things
you want to develop and improve within yourself?
CHUNK 1: FIVE AREAS OF PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT - Physical health is defined as the condition of your body,
taking into consideration everything from the absence of disease to fitness level. Physical
health is critical for overall well-being and can be affected by:
• Lifestyle: diet, level of physical activity, and behavior (eating unhealthy foods);
• Human biology: a person’s genetics and physiology may make it easier or harder to achieve
good physical health;
• Environment: our surroundings and exposure to factors such as sunlight or toxic substances;
and
• Healthcare service: good healthcare can help prevent illness, as well as to detect and treat
illness.
EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT - Emotional health is an important part of overall health.
Emotionally healthy people are in control of their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They can
cope with life’s challenges. Emotions are responses that generate biochemical reactions in our
bodies, changing the physical state. There are many ways to improve or maintain good
emotional health.
• Be aware of your emotions and reactions. Notice what in your life makes you sad,
frustrated, or angry. Try to address or change those things.
• Think before you act. Emotions can be powerful. Give yourself time to think, and be calm
before you say or do something you might regret.
• Manage stress. Try to change situations, causing you stress. Learn relaxation methods to
cope with stress.
• Strive for balance. Find a healthy balance between work and play and between activity and
rest. Make time for things you enjoy. Focus on positive things in your life.
• Take care of your physical health. Your physical health can affect your emotional health.
Exercise regularly, eat healthy meals and get enough sleep. Do not abuse drugs or alcohol.
• Connect with others. We are social creatures. We need positive connections with other
people.
SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT - Social Development refers to how people develop social and
emotional skills across the lifespan, with particular attention to childhood and adolescence.
Healthy social development allows us to form positive relationships with family, friends,
teachers, and other people in our lives. As a person develop and perceive its individuality within
a community, he/she also gains skills to communicate with other people and process his/her
actions. Social development most often refers to how a person develops friendships and other
relationships and how a person handles conflict with peers.
Why is social development important?
Social development can impact many other forms of development a person experiences.
Healthy social development allows us to form positive relationships with family, friends,
teachers, and other people. Healthy social development can help you:
• Develop Communication Skills. An ability to interact with others allows for more
opportunities to practice communications skills
• Build self-esteem. When a person is unable to make friends, it can be frustrating or even
painful. A good circle of friends reinforces a person’s comfort level with her individuality.
• Strengthen learning skills. Studies show that children who have a hard time getting along
with classmates as early as a preschool are more likely to experience later academic difficulties.
• Resolve conflicts. Stronger self-esteem and better language skills can ultimately lead to a
better ability to resolve differences with peers• Establish a positive attitude. A positive attitude
ultimately leads to better relationships with others and higher levels of self-confidence
COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT - Cognitive development means how people think, explore, and
figure things out. It is the development of knowledge, skills, problem-solving, and dispositions,
which helps a person to think about and understand the world around them. Brain development
is part of cognitive development. This aspect of the self is enhanced when one attends school to
study and learn or engages in other mental endeavors. Mental abilities are developed by
engaging in intellectual pursuits such as studies, work, and figuring out how best to deal with
challenges—thinking, planning, organizing, evaluating, and maximizing cognitive abilities. The
more we study, the more we learn; while the more we learn, the more we can study better.
SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT - Spiritual development is defined as discovering oneself
beyond the ego known as the soul, spirit, or the “inner essence” that is often disregarded or
taken for granted (Llaneza-Ramos, 2017). It is when one experiences a glimpse of the “inner
guide” of one’s beliefs and values as one discovers the meaning of life. It also allows people to
connect with a Higher Power that is called by many names like "God, Buddha, Allah.” “We are
Christians, we are committed to the poor, we value people, we are partners, and are
responsive.” As we grow spiritually, our attitude toward life also changes for the better in many
ways. Most of our problems stem from our perceptions and expectations of ourselves and of the
world. One will realize that this solves half the problems of our life. Spiritual growth and
development help us to imbibe humility. Spirituality and inner peace is a way of life. It helps us
to develop great strength and courage. Spiritual growth and development help to make human
beings better citizens.