Human life is complex and it consists of many different facets. We have our work life, our home life, our social life, our spiritual life, and so on. We tend to think of these areas as separate; after all, they each take place in different settings, they require wholly different tasks, and they include different atmospheres and social interactions.

What we often fail to realize is that each of these sectors of our lives impacts one another. That is where Whole Person Development comes in. Whole Person Development is a practice based on the theory that different parts of our lives are intricately connected. It views success and fulfillment as a product of overall life balance.

By viewing the different aspects of our lives as a whole, rather than separately, we can set ourselves up for a balanced and prosperous life.

The Six Areas of Whole Person Development

As humans, we develop over time. We become more advanced in certain elements of our lives. For example, one may build their physical fitness by working out and becoming stronger and faster or they may gain experience in their professional work and be promoted to a higher position.

Rather than focusing on developing one, or a few of these areas, whole person development focuses on six core components of life. These components are: emotional, physical, spiritual, social, psychological, and professional. Focusing on these six aspects of Whole Person Development allows you to live a balanced and successful life.

Let’s take a deeper look into these core elements so we can learn how to develop each of them.

1. Emotional

Your emotions shape who you are.They give rise to your reactions to situations, your personality, your connection with others, your adaptation to change, your ability to handle stressful situations, and much, much more. Developing your emotions, or your emotional intelligence, gives way to learning more about yourself and others.

Your emotional intelligence is your capability to recognize your emotions and use them to guide your thinking and actions. Emotional intelligence has been shown to be the driver of success, in more ways than one. It creates leadership skills, social skills, and self-help skills. In fact, emotional intelligence may even be a better indicator of workplace success than high IQ levels.

Your emotional intelligence also helps you relate and empathize with others. Here at Gloveworx, we put a large emphasis on your tribe and your social connection to others. Your relationships form a huge part of your life and thus impact your overall success.

Working on the emotional aspect of Whole Person Development will help you to become more productive in many different areas of your life.

2. Physical

The physical aspect of Whole Person Development relates to your physical health. It entails eating the right foods, exercising to maintain a healthy body, getting enough sleep, and managing stress.

We know very well how important physical health is. It prevents disease, helps maintain a healthy body weight, and makes you feel good. However, we rarely pay attention to the other ways in which physical fitness affects us.

Being healthy is good for so much more than merely your body. When you’re eating right, exercising and taking care of your overall wellbeing, you have more mental clarity and energy to push through daily responsibilities. It keeps you happy and confident, which translates into fulfillment in other areas of your life, such as work, parenting, and social relationships.

Gloveworx views your vitality, or physical health, as an extremely important aspect of your overall development that will help you reach higher levels of success.

3. Spiritual

Spirituality is an essential piece of the Whole Person Development puzzle. It’s a means of finding purpose and connecting with yourself as well as with the world around you. It’s important to note that spiritualism can be different for everybody. It might be faith, prayer, meditation, or even being out in nature.

Spiritual awareness helps fulfill a variety of different human functions. It promotes compassion, positive relationships, a sense of purpose, honesty, optimism, and inner peace. These characteristics make up a crucial part of success and happiness.

4. Social

Almost everything we do in life involves interacting with others. It’s imperative that we understand how to form and maintain good relationships, as well as how to properly act in different social environments. For example, the way you talk with your boss at work will be much different than the way you interact with friends.

To be truly successful, it’s important to understand how to present yourself in a variety of different social atmospheres.

5. Psychological

It’s easy to portray a certain image of yourself to others. Through social media or even in-person interactions, people see you from the outside. Your outer image is normally much different from what’s on the inside.

The psychological aspect of Whole Person Development relates to knowing your true inner self. It promotes self-esteem and self-acceptance. Your relationship with yourself is arguably the most crucial driver of success. After all, if you don’t believe in your capabilities, who will?

Self-belief creates optimism, drive, motivation, and ultimately, success.

6. Professional

We spend A LOT of our time at work. It makes sense then that your professional life and happiness are closely linked. Think about it; a high-stress job that causes you to work overtime is likely going to bring stress and time-management issues into your personal life. If you wake up every morning dreading going to work, that’s going to have a huge effect on your mood and on the way you start your day.

Every job comes with problems and stressors, but if you are generally happy and doing something that fulfills you, you will feel accomplished in other areas of your life as well.

3 Ways to Become More Balanced

While the Whole Person Development theory makes sense, it’s not always easy to apply that kind of balance to real-life situations. Here are three simple ways to become more balanced and work on your ‘whole’ self.

1. Assess Your Level of Development

Take some time to reflect upon your level of congruence based upon Whole Person Development. Think about each of the six aspects of the theory and how they relate to you. Determine where your strengths and weaknesses are, and hone in on those areas that you want to work on.

2. Set Goals for Each Area of Your Life

Once you’ve determined where you are in relation to your whole self, write down goals for each of the six aspects of Whole Person Development. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Try to choose one or two goals for each area, and be sure to choose goals that are simple and realistic. Then, form a plan on how to reach those goals.

3. Apply It In and Out of the Ring

Boxing does not begin and end in the ring. Whenever you step into the Gloveworx boxing studio, become conscious and mindful of everything you're doing, and how it relates to other areas of your life. Allow it to help you grow, not just physically, but mentally, spiritually, socially, and professionally. Then, take what you’ve learned in the ring and apply it elsewhere.

At Gloveworx, we always say that boxing is so much more than a physical workout. It develops physical and emotional strength, and it builds your confidence and self-esteem. Our studio provides a social network of people who will encourage, inspire, support, and motivate you. Work toward building your whole self during your next session at Gloveworx.