Ideas on Personal Progress

Maintaining a healthy body, mind and spirit on a daily basis requires conscientious intention and effort. Chart your daily progress to keep a positive spirit on bad days. Creating and surpassing short-term and long-term goals rewards you on a variety of levels. Allow yourself to succeed by staying focused on the bigger picture. Remember that making an effort to continue moving forward is an accomplishment.

Goals

• Setting and tracking goals is just as important as meeting them. Reward yourself in small or large ways depending on how significant the goal you reached is. A log book or journal specifically for goal-oriented information is helpful with this step. Goals should reflect emotional, personal, physical, financial and career needs. Add new goals as old ones are met and continuously review lists to keep agendas fresh in your thoughts.

Daily Exercise

• Physical exercise allows you to vent negative, pent-up emotions and ideas in a constructive, healthy way. When exercise is not already a part of your ongoing routine, starting smaller is the way to go. Head outdoors for optimum mental stimulation. A blowing breeze, chirping birds, rushing water and warm sun rays stir the senses, awakening different brain receptors and pushing fresh perspective into your mind. A healthy cardiovascular system and flexible muscles also enable you to feel incremental regular progress as your weight drops and your muscles strengthen.

Journaling

• Getting and staying mentally healthy requires an attention to detail and healthy daily habits. Head to a book, office supply, stationary or retail superstore and select a journal that appeals to you. Liking the look and feel of the blank book encourages everyday use. Choose lined or unlined pages based on personal preference. At the onset of journaling, identify that moment, hour or day's feelings, expectations, disappointments and accomplishments. Include an array of points to flesh out all feelings. Chart overall progress and maintain writing habits to ensure benefits.

Attend Public Events

• Teach yourself how to focus on what's most important to you and what your intentions are regarding family, career, relationships or personal development. One way to pare away extraneous thoughts, habits or behaviors is to attend various speaking engagements, author interviews, seminars and open discussion events. Go online or check newspapers and periodicals for date and time information. Many events are free and require no previous research. Self-improvement authors, founders of charity organizations or nonprofits, religious leaders and specialists in brain development give helpful, knowledgeable, fact-based talks.