9 free online self development courses to take in 2021
We can only be students for 20-something years, but we can continue learning for as long as we live. This is actually recommended not just for self development, but also to keep our brains active and avoid memory problems. Lifelong learning also helps us advance in our careers or switch them altogether and has a major impact on our self image: it helps us get happier, more fulfilled, and more connected to the world around us.
You don’t need to learn scientific theories or practical trades, you can also go for soft skills or anything that you feel can help you improve your life. As a starting point, we’d like to suggest 9 free online self development courses that you can take right now from the comfort of your own home.
1. 7 Scientifically Proven Steps to Increase Your Influence
Vanessa van Edwards, the facilitator of this course, is a well known online and offline coach, teaching self development and social skills. This tutorial that she shares on Udemy promises to teach you how to be charismatic, influential, and how to make an impact in every situation. Vanessa van Edwards bases her teachings on scientifically proven facts. She also uses lots of personal examples, so her courses are relatable and entertaining. You can find more of her free classes on her website.
2. Believe in Yourself More Fully: A 5-Day Self-Discovery Program
This course comprises five lessons that are delivered straight to your inbox. The lessons will aim to increase your self-confidence, self-acceptance, and self-worth. They will also challenge your self-limiting beliefs and help you see a new side of yourself, one that you’ve been waiting to uncover for a long time.
3. Find Your Dream Job
If your goal these days is to boost your career by finding a better job, then this free course is for you. Delivered by LinkedIn expert Rebecca Vertucci, the course will give you inside information that will help you think like an employer. You will learn tips and tricks from a recruiting and hiring professional, such as how to be where employers are and how to speak their language.
4. Meditation for Beginners… Without the Fluff!
The benefits of meditation have been proven over and over again nowadays. People meditate to clear their mind, focus better, sleep better, and generally improve their mental health. Meditation can even change your brain structure, if done right and consistently over a significant stretch of time. If you want to get into this healthy habit, you can start by taking this course that will teach you the foundations of meditation and 3 different meditation techniques.
5. How to Stop Worrying & Reduce Stress
Don’t we all feel there is too much stress in our lives, wherever it may stem from? Worrying only increases our levels of stress, so, naturally, if we managed to stop worrying, our stress levels would decrease. This is just what this free mini-course promises to help us with. Its 7 lessons are simple, informative, and can help you transform your life. The lessons are not theoretical only, they also come with affirmations and practical exercises.
6. Goal Setting the SMART Way and Enjoy the Life of Your Dreams
Have you heard of the SMART way to set goals? In order for your goals to be SMART, they need to be:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Relevant
- Time bound
This will ensure they are clear and reachable. This free course will familiarize you with the SMART criteria and will walk you through a step by step process that will result in the creation of your own effective goals.
7. How to Change Your Thinking & Become More Positive
A positive mind can overcome any kind of obstacle. After all, no situation is entirely good or bad, it all depends on how you look at it. If you try to see the upside of everything that happens to you, you win. This is just what this course aims to teach you. It is made up of 10 brief lectures discussing aspects of our lives that we can improve just by changing our mindset. Then, 10 other videos present illustrative and motivational quotes about important parts of our lives, such as family, friendships, or the future.
8. The Science of Happiness
Everyone wants to be happy. And everyone wants to be happier than they are right now. This world renowned course offered for free by the University of California, Berkeley is just right for the job because it teaches you science-based principles and practices for a happy, meaningful life. The theories belong to the ground-breaking positive psychology and they are accompanied by researched-backed practical activities. This course lasts for 11 weeks, requiring 4-5 hours of your time each week.
9. Intro to Mindfulness
In addition to meditation, mindfulness is another popular mental health aid nowadays. But what exactly does it refer to? Mindfulness is the practice of purposely bringing one’s attention to the present moment without judgment and is scientifically proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression and even to help with drug addiction recovery.
This 4-lesson course is designed to introduce you to the principles, practices, and techniques of mindfulness and how to use mindfulness strategies to tackle stress and improve your general levels of wellbeing. It may be especially helpful to you if you are new to mindfulness and would like to learn simple ways of using mindfulness strategies in your daily life.
