MODULE 1

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN RELATIONS

What is personality?
PERSONALITY is the development of the organized pattern of behaviors and attitudes that makes a person
distinctive. Personality development occurs by the ongoing interaction of temperament, character, and
environment.
Strengths of Self development
Plan should not be through of as being GOOD or BAD based on learning needs that person wishes to address.
Every person has different strength and weaknesses.
The primary objectives of PDP are plan and take responsibility for their own learning and to understand what
and how they learn.
PDP is based on the skills of reflection and planning which are integral to knowing how we can learn in
different contexts and to transfer that learning throughout life.
To identify weakness and strength and willing to admit that, improve through learning and put all these things
in action is personal development plan.
Students activity (individual): To formulate your own goals and plans.
Unique characteristics habits and experiences
There are no “unique and special” habits to speak. Habits are habits. Also, you haven’t mentioned in what way
or field you want to get transformed.
Having said that, there are some habits which have been proven to help people become better version of
themselves in a more general way. These include: -
1) Exercise
Cannot stress this word enough. Exercise is one habit which I think if anyone is regular in, then they can
improve every other facet of their life. You must already be aware of numerous benefits of exercising so I will
spare that part. For those who think there is not enough time, know that exercise takes only 2% of your day
(considering 30 min of exercise per day).
2) Morning routine
One of the most important things to do after you wake is to follow a routine.
A sample morning routine can be: -
Waking up at same time each morning (even on weekends).
Writing down the 5 most important task for the day that you need to accomplish.
Getting a proper and healthy breakfast.
Cold shower.
Heading to your office/college, etc.
3) Invest in experiences
Investing your time and money in experiences will pay off in the long run. Try to indulge in
travelling,sports,adventures,meeting new people, trying things you are afraid off. By doing these things you will
get a lot of experience in lot of things and will also learn a lot about your own strengths, your limitation’s.
4) Rest and relax
This is one thing or one habit I can say which most people ignore in order to accomplish more. What they don’t
realize is that by doing so they are only burning themselves while bringing down the performance (in any field)
rapidly.
The truth is your body needs ample amount of rest to rejuvenate mind and heal the body so that you can feel
fresh and energetic each morning.
Maintaining Journal
can be a great way to indulge in a little self-reflection. The lost art of putting pen to paper can prove to be highly
beneficial for keeping your sanity and act as a positive reinforcement. Here are five reasons why you should
start maintaining a journal.
Venting safely
A journal can prove to be your best friend when you want to vent your frustrations out (but secretly). All those
times you want to shout at your crazy boss or bash a colleague for being too rude or simply just throw shade, a
journal is the right place to do it. The journal is like your personal shrink that you don’t have to pay for. But
make sure no one gets their hands on them, or else you will end up in a pile of trouble that can’t be averted.
Mental health benefits
In this dog-eat-dog world, there can be nothing more crucial than mental health, and the saddest part is, it’s
always overlooked. Maintaining a daily journal not only helps you to keep your creative juices flowing but also
helps in lowering stress levels considerably. A study from the journal Advances in Psychiatric Treatment is the
most recent and concrete research that shows exactly how maintaining a journal can act as a positive catalyst for
your mental health.
Helps harness creativity
The best way to improve on writing is to keep on doing it. The benefits flowing from maintaining a journal,
especially in terms of boosting creativity, are immense. Writing down daily experiences can help you to
understand them better and helps break down complex situations into more comprehensible and coherent
information.
Habit building
Talking about functionality, maintaining a journal can help you to build better habits as it forces you to be
aware of their results. By writing down the positives of a day, you can identify the good patterns in your
behavior, and by writing down the negatives, you can identify the bad ones. Needless to say, the positive ones
are the behaviors that need to be maintained and repeated.
GROUP ACTIVITY:
Developing Whole Person
The term whole-person development refers to the “holistic development of a person’s actions and behaviors as
compared to just acquisition of specific content knowledge.”* While this is an idea commonly used in
professional development and similar settings, Words Alive has come to embrace this concept of whole-person
development when working with our students.
When looking at different models of whole-person development, there are generally six different facets:
emotional, interpersonal, professional, physical, wealth, environmental, and mental development.
There is a strong relationship between the physical, cognitive, and social-emotional development of humans.
All of these areas of human development have their unique traits, but they are all dependent of each other as
well. This article will describe the traits of these areas of development and discuss their connections.

Physical Development

Human development happens physically starting from conception. Physical development consists of the growth
of the body and brain. It is also categorized by the development of motor skills and behavioral patterns.

Physical development is very rapid in childhood and teenage years. Throughout child hood physical
development starts with learning to crawl, walk, and use the hands and feet efficiently. In the teenage years
physical development is characterized through puberty.

Cognitive Development

Cognitive development is represented in terms of logic and reasoning. This area of human development pertains
to thought processes and their complexity. It is also reflected by improved ability to understand theory and an
increased vocabulary level and usage.

In childhood human development of the cognitive nature is evident through learning to speak and write. It is
also reflected by the use of theories to rationalize and comprehend. As children turn into teenagers cognitive
learning is increased, and it continues increasing as a human age and develops.
Social-Emotional Development

This part of human development relates to feelings, emotions, morals, beliefs, and ethics. Social-emotional
development in humans occurs throughout age. It is reflected through thoughts on what are right and wrong and
other matters of belief and opinion.

As a human develops its thoughts include more reasoning and complexity. Through this development a human
becomes more aware of their selves and others, and a human will be able to deal with social-motional
developments better.

Relationships in Human Development

Human development is separated into different areas because all of these areas have specific traits. The
physical, cognitive, and social-emotional developments in humans all influence each other in different ways.

Physical development influences both cognitive development and social-emotional development. Cognitive
development is influences by physical development because the brain and motor skills naturally affect the
development of thought patterns. Behavior is also influential over cognitive development because behavioral
patterns will cause thought development to be different.

Cognitive development affects social-emotional development because the ability to think and reason will affect
a person’s ability to understand feelings and emotions. It will also impact a human’s ability to understand
themselves and others.

Social-emotional development is also impacted by physical development and vice versa. A human’s
development of confidence may be affected by the physical development. Puberty is another reason why
physical development affects social-emotional development.

Individual Activity: Evaluate your own thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Role Playing: Show the connections between thoughts, feelings and behaviors in actual life situations.
Developmental Stages in middle and late adolescence
Adolescence is divided into 3 stages: early (12 to 14 years), middle (15 to 17 years), and late (18 to 20 years).
While certain attitudes, behaviors, and physical milestones tend to occur at certain ages, a wide range of growth
and behavior for each age is normal. These guidelines show general progress through the developmental stages
rather than fixed requirements. It is perfectly natural for a teen to reach some milestones earlier and other
milestones later than the general trend.

Physical Development
Most girls have completed the physical changes related to puberty by age 15.
Boys are still maturing and gaining strength, muscle mass, and height and are completing the development of
sexual traits.
Emotional Development
May stress over school and test scores.
Is self-involved (may have high expectations and low self-concept).
Seeks privacy and time alone.
Is concerned about physical and sexual attractiveness.
May complain that parents prevent him or her from doing things independently.
Starts to want both physical and emotional intimacy in relationships.
Social Development
Is more and more aware of social behaviors of friends.
Seeks friends that share the same beliefs, values, and interests.
Friends become more important.
Starts to have more intellectual interests.
Explores romantic and sexual behaviors with others.
May be influenced by peers to try risky behaviors (alcohol, tobacco, sex).
Mental Development
Becomes better able to set goals and think in terms of the future.
Has a better understanding of complex problems and issues.
Starts to develop moral ideals and to select role models.
Developmental Tasks of Adolescence
A developmental task is a task that arises at or about a certain period in life, unsuccessful achievement of which
leads to inability to perform tasks associated with the next period or stage in life.

Developmental Task Nature of Task

1. Learning to get along with friends of both sexes.
2. Accepting one's physical body and keeping it
healthy.
3. Becoming more self-sufficient.
4. Making decisions about marriage and family life.
5 Preparing for a job or career.
6. Acquiring a set of values to guide behavior.
7. Becoming socially responsible.
To learn to look upon girls as women and boys as men;
to become an adult among adults; to learn to work with
others for a common purpose, disregarding personal
feelings; to lead without dominating.
To accept one's body; to keep it healthy through good
nutrition, exercise, disease prevention, and other health
practices.
To develop affection for parents without dependence
upon them; to develop respect for older adults without
dependence upon them.
To explore attitudes toward family life and having
children; to acquire the knowledge necessary for home
management and, if desired, child rearing.
To develop career/vocational goals and ways to reach
these goals; to be able to make a living.
To develop an outlook toward life based on what is
important.
To participate as a responsible person with friends at
home, and in the community; to develop personal
moral values to guide behavior.

Group activity: Evaluate one’s development in comparison with person of the same age group.

Challenges of Middle and Late Adolescence

Adolescence is a challenging period with its share of rewards and failures. Teenagers in this age of development
face a lot of personal and social challenges. Adolescence is a period, overall, where perception becomes key.
The adolescent years are a shift in the perception of self and the importance of perception of self in others, such
as peers. Middle adolescence is the middle or second stage of the adolescent period, marked by, among other
characteristics, development physically and psychologically. Many of the behavior and thought patterns that
develop during this period carry over into adulthood. Although adolescence is distinctive from childhood, it is
like it in that it is a significant period in identity and personality formation.
Middle adolescence is a period when many teenagers experience systemic changes in their lives. Most
teenagers, by middle adolescence, have already begun to show signs of puberty physically, such as facial hair,
pubic hair, breast development, and other traits. Emotional and psychological changes happen during this period
intensely. It may seem to teens that everywhere they turn is another experience challenging them to grow or
demonstrate their principles. In middle adolescents, there is a greater awareness of the control and the
consequences of one's actions.
Middle adolescents come to experience and understand…
Ways to Become A Responsible Adolescent Prepared for Adult Life

Becoming responsible and being able to make good choices are very important traits no matter what
developmental stage you are in. It holds true for adolescents especially that they are just beginning to internalize
and imbibe virtues, values, and other essential qualities.

It may not be easy to be a teenager. There may be lots of things going on in various facets of their lives. The
demands and expectations of their parents and other people around them can also be stressful. But the good
news is, they can treat these ‘difficulties’ as ‘challenges’ which can make their life exciting. Having that
mindset is also an indication of becoming a responsible and mentally mature adolescent.

The following are eight (8) simple rules which could help you, teenagers, to become a responsible adolescent
prepared for adult life:

1. Focus on your studies and do well in all of your endeavors. There is time for everything.

2. Take care of your health and hygiene. Healthy body and mind are important as you journey through
adolescence.

3. Establish good communication and relation with your parents or guardian. Listen to them. This may be easier
said than done at this stage but creating good relationship with them will do you good as they are the ones you
can lean on especially in times of trouble.

4. Think a lot before doing something. Evaluate probable consequences before acting. Practice self-control and
self-discipline.

5. Choose to do the right thing. There are plenty of situations in which it is better to use your mind rather than
your heart.

6. Do your best to resist temptations, bad acts, and earthly pleasures and commit to be a responsible adolescent.

7. Respect yourself. You are an adult in the making. Do not let your teenage hormones get into you. If you
respect yourself, others will respect you too.

8. Be prepared to be answerable or accountable for your actions and behavior. It is a part of growing up and
becoming an adult.

Facing the challenges during the adolescence

Biological Challenges
Adolescence begins with the first well-defined maturation event called puberty. Included in the biological
challenges are the changes that occur due to the release of the sexual hormones that affect emotions. Mood
changes can increase, which can impact on relationships both at home with parents and siblings and socially or
at school.
Cognitive Challenges
Piaget, in his theory of social development believed that adolescence is the time when young people develop
cognitively from “concrete operations” to “formal operations”. So, they can deal with ideas, concepts and
abstract theories. However, it takes time for confidence to build with using these newly acquired skills, and they
may make mistakes in judgement. Learning through success and failure is part of the challenge of the learning
process for the adolescent.
Adolescents are egocentric, they can become self-conscious; thinking they are being watched by others, and at
other times want to behave as if they were on a Centre stage and perform for a nonexistent audience. For
example, acting like a music idol, singing their favorites songs in their room, with all the accompanying dance
steps.
Adolescents live in their private world where they may think they are invincible and cannot be hurt. However,
this could also be because at their age, they have not had to deal with many deaths and the mortality of the
human spirit is not a reality yet. This is all a part of the complex process of becoming a separate and unique
individual.
Unfortunately, these beliefs can lead them to believe that no-one can understand them or know how they are
feeling. This aspect could have important implications for counsellors.
Psychological Challenges
The psychological challenges that the adolescent must cope with are moving from childhood to adulthood. A
new person is emerging, where rules will change, maybe more responsibilities will be placed on him/her so that
a certain standard of behavior is now required to be maintained. Accountability is becoming an expectation
from both a parental and legal concept.
During adolescence the process of individuation occurs, which involves the development of relative
independence from family relationships, with the weakening ties to objects and people who were previously
important to the young person, coupled by an increased capacity and societal expectation to assume a functional
role as a member of adult society.
As adolescents continue their journey of self-discovery, they continually must adjust to new experiences as well
as the other changes happening to them biologically and socially. This can be both stressful and anxiety
provoking. It therefore is not surprising that adolescents can have a decreased tolerance for change; hence it
becomes increasingly more difficult for them to modulate their behaviors which are sometimes displayed by
inappropriate mood swings and angry outbursts.
ACTIVITY: Express your feelings on the expectations around you. (parents, siblings, friends, teachers,
community)
Make Affirmations That Help One Become More Lovable and Capable as An Adolescence.
 Affirmations must be firm, defined statements. Conditional affirmations are not nearly as effective.
Avoid words like “hope,” “should,” or “wish” because these are soft and lack the confidence to be
effective.
 Keep affirmations in the present tense. They should not be something you will become in the future;
they should always speak to what you are now.
 Repetition and frequency are critical. We all know the power of repetition when building new habits.
The thoughts we have today are simply habits we’ve solidified throughout our lives, so applying
affirmations frequently is the key to rebuilding them. Just before bed at night and first thing in the
morning are the two most powerful times to employ affirmations.
 While saying affirmations to yourself is a start, saying them out loud is more powerful. Writing them
down is even more potent. The most impactful time to make an affirmation is in the moment of need
(e.g. saying or writing the affirmation, “I am good at math” while you are taking a math test).
 It is important to manage the number of affirmations. Prioritize the top 3 to 5 and start off by focusing
on those. You can always expand into new areas over time.
Understanding Stress and Sources
The top four sources for stress are:
1. Money
2. Work
3. Family responsibilities
4. Health Concerns
These four categories have been the same top reasons for stress in the same order since 2008, the beginning of
the recession. While the overall trend of stress levels has decreased since peaking in 2010, a deeper dive reveals
some enlightening facts about Americans and their stress.
Money: The root of all stress?
When respondents were asked how their stress over money has changed over the past year, 88% answered that
their stress has either stayed the same or increased. So, while some of the anxieties from the recession have
subsided, most Americans are still concerned about their finances. The three most significant sources of money
related stress were: paying unexpected expenses, paying for essentials, and saving for retirement.
All four categories be being influenced by one another. For example, money concerns can influence decisions
about health concerns, or work concerns can influence stress about family responsibilities. In fact, the APA
states in their report that “Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say that they have either considered skipping or skipped
going to the doctor in the past year when they needed health care because of financial concerns.”
Generation gap
It might seem obvious that different generations would have different stresses due to their stations in life but
viewing stress through the prism of generations allows for a clearer picture of the future of stress and stress
management.
The effects of stress
Each person’s stress and how it affects them is unique to them, and the ways of dealing with mounting stress
vary greatly. The top three symptoms of stress reported were: irritable/angry, nervous/anxious, and lack of
interest/motivation. All three symptoms can lead to negative consequences at home, on the job, or in one’s
social life. With 75% of Americans experiencing a symptom of stress in the past month, it is worrisome that
“[a] sizable number of Americans say that they engage in unhealthy behaviors because of stress, such as lying
awake at night…or eating too much…”
Presenteeism is defined as an employee being physically present at work, but not being fully engaged due to
outside stresses. Presenteeism can be difficult to notice, but it can wreak havoc on productivity, and even an
organization’s bottom line.
ACTIVITY: Demonstrate personal ways of coping with stress for healthful living.
Discuss the Left and Right Brain May Help in Improving One's Learning.
Right-Brain vs. Left-Brain
Being right-brain or left-brain dominant refers to the different hemispheres of the brain that process information
differently. The hemispheres control the different modes of thinking, and individuals tend to use one side of the
brain over the other.
In 1981, Roger Sperry won the Nobel Prize in medicine for his research in the late 1950’s and 1960’s showing
that the brain is divided into two major hemispheres. He identified that parts of the brain had different
capabilities and were associated with their own style of thinking.
Characteristics of Left-Brain Learners
Left-brain learners best absorb material by listening to lectures in which the material is logical and has a set of
defining rules. A typical left-brain learner takes neat notes and keeps a well-organized binder. Timed tests are
not overly challenging.
Generally, left-brained thinkers read directions carefully and thoroughly. They follow sequential reasoning,
seeking definitive final answers and closure.
Left-brain learners excel at the following:
Logic
Analytical sequence processing
Numbers
Black & white distinctions
Structured thinking
Verbal language skills
Short-term memory
Details
Auditory input
Skilled movement
Naming
Categorization
Objective thinking
Characteristics of Right-Brain Learners
Right-brain thinkers often have common characteristics. For example, they’ll scan directions, rather than listen
to or thoroughly read directions. Visualizing a picture can help them remember facts.
Right-brain learners tend to be day dreamers who lose track of time. They are visual students who thrive on
hands-on learning. Sitting, listening and taking notes can be a struggle.
Right-brain learners excel at the following:
Big picture thinking
Visual input
Leaps in thinking
Concepts
Differentiation through color
Humor
Unstructured thinking
Awareness of options
Pictures (storing information as a unit rather than as parts)
Music
Metaphors
Intuitive thinking
Creativity
Rhythm
Holistic thinking
Synthesizing
Subjective thinking
The right hemisphere of the brain is associated with creativity. Right-brained thinkers process information in a
nonlinear, non-verbal manner, looking at the whole picture and at the relationships of the parts to the whole.
Overall, right-brain thinkers are more comfortable with paradoxes and ambiguity than left-brain thinkers.
Activity: Plan to improve learning using left and right brain through mind mapping activities.
Mind Mapping Sunday Activities Mind Map
Weekends are the most expectant days among a week. And students usually have many activities on weekends,
just like the activities in the mind map.
Activity: interpret the concept of mental health and psychological well being in everyday observations
about mental health problems during adolescence.