I realized my ability to grow myself is about so much more than just growing my business. So many of us have issues in ALL areas of our lives that land in the exact same category (myself included). I realized our ability to grow ourselves is a direct reflection of our ability to grow ourselves. No duh. Right?
I really think there is something to be said about grasping this truth, though. Really identifying that person in the mirror- objectively looking at their weaknesses, short comings, and hot buttons. Our lives are a result of the decisions we make. Those decisions are influenced by our character, and our character is shaped by our habits.
Our habits are everything, and until we can look that person in the mirror and start getting them in check in all areas of our life- health, wealth, family, work, spiritually, goals, and friends- then we'll only keep repeating our own inadequacies in a type of downward spiral that will continual until we have enough backbone for ourselves to stand up and break it. Maybe that backbone looks like counseling, maybe that backbone looks like asking for a raise, or grounding your kids, or taking a vacation, or selling the boat you haven't used in 6 months to start getting out of debt.
The cycle needs to be broken, because we are worth it, I am worth, and you are certainly worth it. God did not put us on this planet to wither before we have blossomed. We all understand growth for the sake of education and the importance of going to school, but for too many of us our growth stops after graduation. I would argue- that is actually when our growth starts. When we stop being told what to do and no longer have people holding us accountable on our "homework". When we leave our parents home, enter the work force, and learn how in the world to stand on our own 2 feet, that is when real growth starts, and that is what becomes the measure of a man.
The sad thing is I feel this "need" for growth often goes unmet. The most common regret of the dying is that they did not live a life that was true to themselves. Most of us live in a place of fear and conformity, and I am not exception. God teaches us how to walk to the beat of our own drum, and also to have a greater appreciation for walking in sync with others. Both are important. Both are hard work. What is most important, is just showing up, though. Just meeting God half way in the journey of this life- looking in the mirror- squaring your shoulders- and committing to try harder. Every damn day.
Anyone who has ever planted a seed knows it needs water daily- so why would we treat our personal growth any differently? It's not that we owe anything to God, to our family or friends, or job, or to ourselves. It's that WE GET TO DO THE HARD WORK. WE GET TO. GET, as in, it is a gift- it is why we are here, it is what makes life worth living. Show me a life that decides to let the wind blow it, the dust settle on it, and the moss grow over it, and I will say that simply looks like a piece of kindling to me. I don't think God made kindling in his image, I think the gift that passed on through his image is so much more than kindling, it's so much more we can even grasp. It's so much, that all we can do, is just show up, palms up, and aspire to do that hard work.
That's the funny thing about the difficulty of life- Life is extremely easy- as long as your willing to continually do the hard work. Look in the mirror, examine your heart, and start watering. Start asking the hard questions, start reading the right books, creating the right habits, and above all, be faithful. Because we GET to be. And YOU ARE WORTH IT. Growth starts when you do.
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