Happy Sunday, friends. Growth has been heavy on my heart and mind so I wanted to share a few noticings I had throughout the week.
We often expect growth to be easy, to not be inconvenienced, to not struggle, to not be uncomfortable, to not have uncomfortable emotions. Why is that? When the definition of growth is to increase, to develop. In order to do so one must increase past it’s current form. Have you ever witnessed a plant outgrowing it’s pot or budding from seed to blossom? Or a butterfly coming out of it’s cocoon? Or a baby’s teeth growing in?
What they all have in common is discomfort. Excruciating discomfort. So much so that it can be difficult to witness because as humans we have a natural instinct to want to ease pain and discomfort when we see it. Mainly, because it makes us uncomfortable and it is hard to withstand our own feelings or possible reminders of past selves.
Witnessing growth is also miraculous, a wonder to behold. To watch something change form in real time, to increase, to grow beyond it’s self and have the strength and courage to keep going in spite of the pain it may be feeling in the present to reach the other side of transformation.
I did my first barre class earlier this week and it was a STRUGGLE. Mind you I have been active most of my life but I wanted to challenge my body to do something different, something that required a different strength. I joked at the end of class that I know it was a good workout because I found myself getting angry and frustrated in the middle of it because it wasn’t easy. I reminded myself I didn’t come for easy, I came to be challenged.
Growing isn’t supposed to be easy. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. In life, we are constantly growing and be asked to grow.
Growth is also evident in communication, both the giving and the reception. Can you hear uncomfortable things? Can you take accountability? Can you communicate a feeling and need? Can you receive the feedback and request with humility and openness?
Growth requires uncomfortable conversation. It is communicating that you are no longer the same as you once were and your needs may be different and require different of the people around you. Growth is also shedding. Shedding from the beliefs, thoughts, ways of being, and people that keep you in old patterns.
Growth requires seeing the fullness of a person. The past they have come through, the present they are currently existing in and the future they are working towards. Offering support on their journey and recognizing that support is different in different seasons.
Growth is accepting the discomfort of change because without the butterfly is never born.
Lean into the discomfort. I look forward to witnessing and hearing about your Bloom.
Feel free to share any metamorphosis testimonies in the comments. I’ll meet you there.
Many Blessings and thank you for being Here.