By Sheilah Davis
When you find yourself in a season of life that seems to be taking longer than you anticipated, it can be tempting to panic. You may feel as though you’re running out of time, as if you have no idea how to make things better. But take heart! The truth is, we all experience stretches like this at different points in our lives. You’re not alone and there isn’t anything inherently wrong with the way that things are right now. Instead, what you need is some personal growth. Here are 13 ways to start growing your personal growth today:
Make time for growth
If you’re anything like us, your days are filled with responsibilities. You might have a full-time job, family commitments, and a social life to look after. It’s easy to forget that you yourself are a priority too, and while we can’t promise you that the world will stop turning while you do this, we can promise you that you’ll be happier and more fulfilled if you carve out time for yourself. At the end of the day, you’re the only one who can make yourself a priority. The first step is to really sit down and think about how you want to spend your time. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the things that need your attention, take a step back and simply prioritise. It might help to set priorities by what you want to get out of any given activity.
Refrain from comparing yourself to others
Comparison is the thief of joy. It’s what stops you from truly taking in the good stuff around you, because you’re too busy wondering what you’re missing out on. Instead, focus on what you have. Don’t compare yourself to other people. You’re unique and wonderful just the way that you are. Instead, compare yourself to what you used to be. You’ll have a far greater sense of satisfaction and self-worth if you focus on the progress that you’ve made, rather than on what you don’t have.
Practice self-care
The truth is, one of the quickest ways to grow as a person is by taking care of yourself. This doesn’t just mean diet and exercise. It means finding ways to unplug and relax. It might be taking regular breaks, reading a book, journaling, meditating, giving yourself a massage, going for a walk, or eating something that you love that’s healthy. Self-care doesn’t have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to take up a lot of your time. What it does need to do is to be something that you find meaningful, even if only for a few minutes each day.
Challenge your thinking
As humans, we’re constantly trying to find order and meaning in the world. We’re looking for answers, for a formula that will tell us who we are and where we fit in. Human beings are naturally pattern-seeking creatures, and this pattern-seeking is a beautiful thing when it’s used to help us make sense of things like our personality and our talents, but it can become an obsession when we mistake it for truth. When you find yourself slipping into this pattern-seeking, challenge the way that you’re thinking. Ask yourself what you’re really trying to say, and try to find a healthier, more productive way to express yourself.
Be a student of life
In his book, From Clueless to Conscious, life and career coach David Tomlinson talks about how we tend to get stuck in a place of feeling uninspired. We look around and see so many people doing amazing things, and we feel as though we’re simply not “doing enough”. Instead, step back and try to take a step back. If you’re feeling uninspired, try to think about what it might be about the things that you’re doing that feel unfulfilling. You might have been doing them for so long that you’ve forgotten what it’s like to do them differently. Take time to reflect on your priorities, and see if you can shift your thinking based on what you find.
Learn how to grow your skills and hobbies
Sometimes, the simplest thing can be the thing that’s holding you back. Perhaps you’ve been going to the same gym for a few years now, and you’ve built up a small collection of fitness tools that you use regularly. Now, when you feel like you’re behind and you want to take a break, you have to think about what you need to do to get back on track. The same goes for any hobbies or skills that you’ve built up over time. If you’ve been doing the same thing for a while now, and you’ve begun to feel that you’ve begun to run out of things to do with your time, it might be time to shift your approach. Try to think of ways to make the things that you do feel more fresh and new than they did before.
Spend time with people who inspire you
The best thing that you can do for your personal growth is to spend time with people who inspire you. There are so many books and podcasts out there that are aimed at helping us to be better people, and there are many people who are willing to share their stories and experiences with you for free. The easiest way to find new ways to grow is to start with people who have already done so. Start to look around you, and try to find people who are doing something that you admire. Even if you don’t formally meet with them, you can talk to them online, or in person, and ask them questions. You can also try to do things like attend events that are organised around a certain theme, simply because you want to find out more about them and what they’re doing.
Stay consistent with your practice
This might sound like an obvious tip, but it’s also something that can easily get lost in the shuffle. What you have to remember is that growth isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a practice, and the best way to keep growing is to keep doing it. There are times when we feel like we’re getting somewhere, only to have a setback come along that stops us dead in our tracks. Remember that you’re never going to get somewhere overnight. Don’t let the small setbacks get to you. Instead, try to take a step back and look at what you’ve learned, and try to find a different way to approach your problem.
Conclusion
Guess what? Life is messy and things aren’t always going to go our way. It’s okay to feel a little lost and unsure. The best thing that you can do is to stay true to yourself and do the best that you can, despite the situation that you’re in. As long as you’re living your life with compassion and kindness for yourself, you’ll be on the right track to growing as a person.