• Life seems to have become a bewildering maze at times.

Thus, you try

to reflect on your common beliefs. Amidst these developments, it
helps recognize how the different physiological, cognitive, emotional,
spiritual, and social developments are in a dynamic relationship. By
recognizing such changes, you can understand and evaluate your
thoughts.
FIVE AREAS OF PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
Physiological Development

Refers to physical changes in the body as

well as the senses and changes in skills
related to movement.
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.

It is important to take care of your body. Live

healthy, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep,
exercise regularly, and avoid drugs and alcohol.
Manage stress and go for regular medical check-
ups. Practice good hygiene.
Emotional Development

It has something to do with the feelings

that you experience.
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

It is about our innate capacity to relate

with others, to connect, and to feel the
sense of belongingness
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

Refers to a person’s intellectual abilities

as shown in his/her thoughts, attitudes,
beliefs and values
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

It is discovering oneself beyond the ego

known as the soul, spirit, or the “inner
essence” that is often disregarded or taken
for granted. It is experiencing a glimpse of
the “inner guide” of one’s beliefs and values
in discovering the meaning of life.
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.
EVALUATING ONE’S
THOUGHTS, FEELINGS AND
BEHAVIOR
Defining Thoughts, Feelings and Behavior
Before we go on through further discussions of the
lesson, let us be familiar with the following terms:
Thoughts
According to dictionary.com -the product of
mental activity; that which the capacity or faculty
of thinking, reasoning, imagining; a consideration
or reflection; meditation, contemplation, or
recollection: one thinks
Feelings
Both emotional experiences and physical
sensations — such as hunger or pain — bring
about feelings, according to Psychology Today.
Feelings are a conscious experience, although not
every conscious experience, such as seeing or
believing.
Behavior
In psychology, behavior consists of an organism's
external reactions to its environment. Other
aspects of psychology, such as emotions,
thoughts, and other internal mental processes,
don't usually fall under the category of behavior.
Behavior may be modified
Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior: They
are All Connected!