What is growth? To me, self growth is getting out of my comfort zone and going through change like the seasons. True growth comes with discomfort and a lot of pleasure; it feels uneasy, but at the same time, it’s exciting. Growth requires work and effort; it is a continuous journey of trial and error. It will test your emotions and strengths, and reveal your weaknesses. You deserve to respect yourself and put yourself first. Be less critical of yourself and face the things you’ve been avoiding. You have to go through the discomfort to get to the level you want to be at and maintain it.
Find your comfort zone. These tend to be your safe spaces and your happy places. The ones that keep you at ease when things are tough and always wait for you to come back. As much as you love your comfort zone, it can be dangerous. Your comfort zones don’t let you grow. They hold you back and keep you weak. You will never find your full strength, and you will never truly grow if you stay there. Recognize what makes you comfortable and figure out ways you can improve to leave that space. As you grow, your comfort zone will change. It’s important to realize what they are as you go through your seasons so that you can get out of them and move on to the next place you are supposed to be. If you are constantly falling back into your comfort zone, you will always be questioning yourself, asking yourself if it is worth it. Don't allow this because you deserve to keep moving forward!
Getting out of your comfort zone requires going through changes. Changes are so good! Finding new hobbies or better habits that were better than before feels so refreshing to allow your body and my mind to go through all of these different things that they haven’t experienced before. You will never know how much you enjoy something until you try it. The courage to take those leaps, even if you fail, makes your process of growth worth it.
Your health is also so important to your growth. Picture yourself starting as a fresh new plant seed. You will not grow and maintain your full potential if you don’t get the proper hydration, nutrients, and vitamins that you need. Your performance and growth will decrease. You may not notice this decrease on the outside right away, but on the inside, there is a dramatic effect. Your body hustles every day to keep you alive; it deserves to be treated kindly and fueled the right way.
Just as our bodies change and grow, our habits, mindset, and passions should too. We should never be the same people we were last week, much less a year ago. Build habits that nourish your mind, body, and soul on a daily basis. Get out of your fixed mindset and maintain a growth mindset that sees challenges as opportunities. Gain wisdom and never stop learning things about yourself; there is so much more to the book than that page you are so heavily stuck on. Dissect it, move on, and grow into yourself before you get to a place where you regret not starting sooner.
Growth is challenging, but I am here to advocate for you and tell you it is worth it!