Making the effort to grow just seems so daunting, doesn’t it? I believe growth starts with what it could actually mean for you. This “growth” idea people talk about may not mean anything until you see what it could look like for yourself.
We see it in nearly every single movie we’ve ever watched and perhaps chalk it up to just being part of the story. But when was the last time you stopped to think about the adversity you’ve come up against and the person it’s made you so far?
For many of us, never.
Some might be afraid of reliving the experiences, some may just not believe they’ve gone through anything that difficult. Taking the time to search your past for experiences can be scary, but also very eye-opening!
Choices Have Consequences
As much as we may not want to admit it, every action, reaction, and consequence causes us to become who we are (for better or worse). We are shaped by the choices we make because yes, you have a choice.
Even those decisions we’ve made that brought us to a challenging position. We must accept those because it was what we believed at the time was right for us rather than a mistake to dwell on.
We are so hard on ourselves for situations we may have put ourselves in (and often not). But if your perception is to see these situations as challenges, then it can be much more than just a cliché toward “living your best life”.
They are the rare moments that shape us and our futures that are to be cherished for what they are, current situations. You can help determine your future outcomes.
Acceptance
This word strikes fear in the heart of many. Grasping the idea of things you can’t change is an extremely difficult one, especially if it was our actions rather than someone else’s.
Often times, acceptance comes at the end of one of these challenging situations. Other times, it serves as the door through which we walk to our next big adventure. Or hell, even a small adventure.
Whatever the next move is, it’s yours to make. Accepting the choices you’ve made in the past, and having compassion for or forgiving yourself for those you’ll make in the future will be the foundation for your growth.
Evaluation
If you allow it, this can be the most exciting part.
Understanding what the situation was, how you reacted to it, and the result of those decisions made can provide the insight that’s been hiding in plain view. The exciting part comes in the form of realization that you are exactly who and where you need to be.
You are perfect in your mistakes, your successes, and your failures. This is awesome because we are each our own individual and introspection can allow you to see beauty in everyone else as well.
Decision-Making
Determine why you may have made a previous decision. Now you can control how you might want to react in the future should a similar situation occur.
For example: You made a decision 6 months ago to invest in real estate but this investment turned out to lose you money. You evaluate why you made that decision and realize it was based on trust for the realtor rather than researching the property yourself.
Your future decision making will now compel you to do research on investments rather than trust others with your hard-earned money.
Growth!
Every decision we make – from trying to lose weight or not, to starting a business – will shape who you are.
Your growth does not have to be a life-changing event like the movies, it can be whatever YOU make of it. Remember to define exactly what it is that means growth for you and you will be able to take steps to achieve it. Baby steps count too!