Comments on: Should Personal Development Come With A Warning Label?

By: Sherri

Sherri — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:17:33 +0000

Thank you all for your lovely and thoughtful comments. You make really great points!

**Awareness and release.
**There is no magic finish line: ta-da you’re there and personally developed.
**Don’t let it become an unhealthy obsession.
**On the road to self development don’t run over your family and friends

These are all great thank you!

By: LisaCat

LisaCat — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:35:19 +0000

I don’t know about the dog barf, but the cat barf in my life hasn’t caused any rifts in the time/space continuum. Seriously, though, you do make some good points about personal development, its pros and cons. We all have things about ourselves that need a little tweaking but too much navel-gazing is not good for the soul. It can have a deleterious affect on our interactions with others, you just have to remember that on the road to self development you don’t run over family and friends.

By: Stephen - Rat Race Trap

Stephen - Rat Race Trap — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:50:17 +0000

Sherri, this is a fantastic point. You can’t get so caught up in self-development that you forget to actually live. It can become an unhealthy obsession like everything else. However, I would not have discovered many of the great ideas and made the many positive changes in my life had I not begun this journey. Like most things I do, I overdid it at first, but I think now I have found a healthy balance.
Stephen – Rat Race Trap´s last blog ..The Best Ways To Not Sweat The Small Stuff – Part I

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:27:48 +0000

Wonderfully thought-provoking post! It’s funny… I’ve been involved in self-development as long as I can remember, and even in college, always chose the classes that would “dig me up” (my mom always said that it was “unhealthy”- tee hee!) But I must confess, I do tend to overanalyze everything, which sometimes makes things a little more topsy turvy than is necessary, and I definitely struggled for some time with the whole mortality piece. But I’d much rather be wide awake than be half asleep.

I think where some people get misdirected is thinking that there’s an end to it all, where a bolt of lightening will flash and ta-da,we’re “there.” The truth is, the road isn’t just long… it’s infinite… but it’s truly about honoring the journey…
Lisa´s last blog ..Creativity= letting go of the “how.”

By: Positively Present

Positively Present — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:59:03 +0000

Great post! This made me think a lot about personal development and the pros and cons of it. It’s such an interesting topic and I really enjoyed the way you explored it here!
Positively Present´s last blog ..a rain-soaked realization: are you living in YOUR moment?

By: Kaushik

Kaushik — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:26:00 +0000

Oh, there is all sorts of turmoil. Fears are released, and I am no longer afraid to make decisions that turns life upside down. As Adyashanti says, be prepared to lose your world. In my experience, it’s been helpful not to think of it as personal development–there isn’t any particular improvement goal. Just awareness and release.

A very insightful article–thanks!
Kaushik´s last blog ..Call off the Struggle

By: Sherri

Sherri — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:51:50 +0000

@ Jay – You’re hilarious! I suppose I don’t know for sure in every circumstance you’re right. But it has been my experience (and with two dogs that have very touchy stomachs I have many experiences) that dog barf does not in fact cause a hole through which all creation will fall to it destruction.

I agree completely that it’s not easy. There is a lot of work involved. It is one thing to read about personal development and think oh that’s nice and walk away. It’s something completely different to read it, tweak it to suit you and then apply it and follow through. It’s definitely worth the effort but you’re right it’s not a quick fix it takes effort.
Thank you for your comment

By: Jay Schryer

Jay Schryer — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:27:06 +0000

Are you *sure* “A hole in the space-time continuum will not spontaneously appear because the dog barfed on the carpet” ?

I mean, it’s possible, right? How can we know that the specific chemicals in the dog’s barf, when combined with the residues of the cleaning agents in the carpet, won’t react violently, thereby ripping a hole in the universe through which all of creation will fall to it’s destruction?

I mean, really, Sherri. That’s just irresponsible journalism! Creating a false sense of safety when in fact, we are all in constant danger of the impending doom of the dog barf/cleaning agent vortex!!

OK, seriously, a great article. Thanks for writing this, and sharing it. My main issue with the whole “self development” issue is that people think it’s easy. Change, even change you do to yourself, takes a lot of hard work! People think they can just read a book (or a blog) and they will instantly feel better. It takes a lot of effort, too!
Jay Schryer´s last blog ..The National WWII Museum