Remember This When Your Personal Growth Feels Stunted
Look at yourself in the mirror. Who do you see?
I remember looking at my reflection as a little girl and thinking about how I eventually would grow and change into a young woman. I would ponder how I would look, how tall I would end up being (5’1, for the record), and what my adult face would look like.
Looking back, it felt like I grew instantly, but the reality is that it was a gradual progression. Change does not occur overnight. It takes time to become you. How else would a slimy caterpillar turn into a beautiful butterfly?
What you don’t realize now is that you’re growing. The times you feel stagnant, stumped, or even being pulled backwards can be deceiving. You are doing far better than you give yourself credit for. Appreciate the small victories and keep moving strong with faith.
Whether it be a loss of a friendship, the conclusion of a job, graduating from school, or even leaving a familiar city in the rearview mirror, all of this is growth. Stepping into unchartered territory is scary. Maybe what you’re facing is it is not on this scale. Maybe your battle is internal, and those are the toughest battles for the strongest warriors.
This growth is different. It’s a mature growth. It’s having the strength to separate yourself from difficult people, the courage to step out and try something new and facing the kickback you receive head-on. Trust me, I’ve been there too.
Victor Kiam said it best: “Even if you fall on your face, you’re still moving forward.” Failing doesn’t mean that you’re falling backwards. When you fall, you fall forwards (unless this is a scene from Tom and Jerry). The times you push yourself to get out of bed in the morning, to go on that run, to read just another chapter, you’re not only growing but progressing, even if you don’t feel like you are.
Not everyone is meant to go with you in this next phase of life. How can you move forward if you’re being held back? I know it’s easy to feel lonely, forgotten, and isolated in this season. It seems like everyone around you is having fun, especially on social media. FOMO can be a gnarly culprit.
The reality is that many of us have this feeling. We want what we can’t have and wish we had it differently. It’s draining to spend our time wishing we had it another way. I know it is easier to say, but every day is a blessing, and there are many people who would be honored to be you because you are beautiful, loved, and worthy.
My ultimate wish for you is to see the beauty that you are and the potential for all that you can be. You may not see yourself growing, but you are outgrowing the past behind you and fitting into your new you. I am so excited for you and all the greatness that you are destined to become. You might not see it now, but one day you will look back and be proud of who you are.