Woman writing in journal

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 has provided us all with more than enough time to examine our personal lives and what’s truly going on inside our minds. And if you’re like me, you may have found there’s a particular area or two that could use some attention.

So if you’re looking for a place to start on your personal growth journey, might I recommend taking a closer look at an area that affects almost all areas in your life?

Communication

I believe that communication itself is a work of art – when it’s done well.
Effective communication can unlock doors in your personal and professional life and sets the trajectory of where your life is headed. What you say and how you say it shapes the world around you and affects the people around you. This is why it’s crucial to pay attention and be intentional with growing your communication.

The best communicators understand that the topic often isn’t the most important part of their speaking either. Rather, those who have truly grasped the power of good communication take our humanity into consideration and have spent time becoming fluent in ‘human’.

Find your personal and unique voice.

Since all talking is communication, it’s important that you make the best of how you talk and find the organic flow to convey what it is you’re trying to say. Find your style and your tone and then become brilliant at it. You easily slip into a way of saying a thing that almost becomes your natural, organic fit. Being human in your communication means that you’re aware of what you’re saying and how you’re saying it.

The way you talk may not be normal to the company you keep or even what others like, but don’t let that persuade you into putting on a persona that isn’t fully you. What you should do is be yourself!

Find the rhythm that works for you and then follow that!

Finding your personal rhythm has a lot to do with your personality. If your personality is lively and expressive, own that. Or maybe you’re more reserved and reflective, own that. Whatever makes you who you are, take that and build upon it. In personal development, self-awareness is crucial in order to have a proper understanding of who you are.

Your unique voice is specific and special to who you are! Be intentional about developing what sets you apart from others. Get to know who you are and become increasingly great at being you!

Find ways to commit to growing yourself

Personal growth takes time, effort, and determination. Strong communicators appear to do it effortlessly, but the truth is, there is a lot of effort involved in effective communication. The difference is in where the effort is focused. In great communication, most of the effort is focused behind the scenes.

You must be willing to put in the work to improve yourself, your craft, and your communication. Self-improvement is an ongoing task that requires innovative thinking, careful consideration, and self-empowerment. You need to have a growing awareness of where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Find investments for your future

If you’re going to commit to growing yourself, you need to ensure you have access to tools and resources to help you continue to sharpen your skills and find your voice. Years ago I started a Communication Masterclass where I could invest in people who felt effective communication was a part of their future. Like most things, communication doesn’t get better by itself, it only gets better when we work on it. Personal growth and development requires you to be a continual learner and so why not look into communication workshops, online courses, or even an online mentoring program?

Own who you are

Once you’ve found who you are and what sets you apart in your communication and way of doing things, be sure to embrace it! Do all that you can to ensure you’re true to your voice – practice and improve upon your style, be willing to invest the time into becoming the best version of yourself, and go confidently in the direction of where you want to be! If you truly know who you are and how to communicate from your unique voice, you can go out into the world and make the impact you’ve longed to see. Whether that’s in your community, your workplace, or even just in your family, we need you to be who you were designed to be.