Carl Jung had an interesting concept of individuation and how we form our personal identity. He wrote that our self concept is formed at a very early age and it can be compared to wearing a mask. The persona or public face (mask) is made up of impressions that we receive from other people. In other words, we take in the comments, facial expressions and opinions of others and allow these “outsiders” to influence and ultimately form our “mask”; what we show to the outside world and who we believe we are.
He also wrote about “shadows” (the dark side of personality) that lie under the surface and although they are living in our subconscious, they can influence our behavior. It’s all very interesting but more than that, his ideas, although dated, remain relevant.
Researchers in child development have proven that our mothers (or primary caregiver) influence our self-concept. Think of the caregiver as the mirror we look into, reflecting our image back to us. If the parent or care giver sends us negative messages, then we are more likely to develop a negative attitude about our own abilities and our self esteem will suffer. Messages sent back from the mirror don’t have to be in the form of “words” that are spoken. It can be in the body language, facial expressions or the person’s willingness to show us love and attention.
Our development is shaped by outside impressions and attitudes and that’s why parenting with “heightened awareness” is so important. What I mean is, what we say to our children is powerful. Words can injure or lift up; destroy or create. Never question the power of words or behavior when it comes to raising children. What we do and say as the parent is forming our child’s identity, whether we want it to or not.
“The little world of childhood with its familiar surroundings is a model of the greater world. The more intensively the family has stamped its character upon the child, the more it will tend to feel and see its earlier miniature world again in the bigger world of adult life.”~Carl Jung
So, what’s the big deal about Personal Development Blogs?
Self-knowledge and identity is not a new concept but the popularity of Personal Development blogs and the increasing presence of “life coaching” seems to indicate that people are interested in understanding behavior and personal motives. Understanding the “why” behind our actions and interactions can help us stop repeating maladaptive behaviors.
Everyone is interested in achieving their highest potential or at least trying to become a person as we pass through this journey, called life…right? Personal Development Blogs publish content that the reader wants for personal growth and learning. If the reader “connects” with the article (for example,” What He Said: Gender Differences in Communicating” or “11 Natural Stress Busters” ) and the information in the article gives the reader resources or helpful links to learn more on their own, than it’s very likely that the reader will return to that site, wanting to consume more “golden nuggets”.
I was very surprised when my blog was listed in a “top” group for personal development blogs. I didn’t consider that to be my niche. In fact, I’m still trying to figure out what my niche is, as the topics I write about are varied.
My writing (especially in the Motivation or Journal Section of my blog) is written to help me “figure things out.” If my writing “clicks” with a reader and makes the reader “think differently” or become motivated to make a change, then I guess those sections of my blog are related to personal development.
Jung had said: ”
“The growth of the mind is the widening of range of consciousness and…each step forward has been a painful and laborious achievement”
Good personal development blogs help the reader develop some form of awareness. The writer has probably learned lessons by traveling on his own life path filled with cracks. The ultimate gift for the reader is receiving information that helps him or her recover from loss or heart ache. It might provide information that the reader can use to create a change for the better.
Here are some of the best personal development blogs that I’ve found:
Dumb Little Man; Tips for Life
Life isn’t for the faint of heart (Cynthia Occelli)
Story Catcher; notes on being real, being human
Change Your Thoughts, To Change Your Life
Raptitude; Getting better at being human
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2011-2012 
