I remember being a young girl and not only loving biology but especially loving the lab experiments. One of the earliest one’s I can remember is common to most of us. Remember when we had the opportunity to germinate a Lima bean? Oh my goodness, it was barely believable that we could take such a tiny hard seed, cultivate it and a small plant sprout would emerge! I remember wrapping the Lima bean in a damp paper towel and placing it in the bottom of a clear plastic cup. We sat them on the window sill and day after day anxiously ran to the cup to see if we could see the fledgling sprout. And then the day finally came. I remember like it was yesterday—seeing the shell of the seed split wide open and seeing the little tiny spiraling green plant shoot emerging from the paper towel. Although the plant was in its infancy there was something quite triumphant about what had taken place. When the conditions were right, something that was ingeniously encoded to produce a plant did exactly that. The size of the sprout wasn’t critiqued, nor was the time it took. I celebrated the young plant because it did what it looked like it couldn’t do (at least from my young mind) and it amazingly flourished.
When I think of personal growth I think back to that little Lima bean seed and this quote by Cynthia Occelli. No other quote has made me rethink my beliefs on personal growth.
I’ve witnessed the growth process within myself and struggled with it so much in the past. Who said the process had to look like a thing of beauty? In my experience it’s been far from that. However, the results, which matter’s most always, were and is a thing of beauty. My only regret is not always marveling at the process as I’d viewed my Lima bean lab experiment. I guess it’s a different perspective entirely when you are “the seed”. We are all just a seed! And every seed has within it many other seeds, so I find in real life there is a never-ending process of destruction and growth. There’s the destruction of our false ideas, understandings, perceptions, etc. about life and business. The continual cycle of destruction is necessary for us to grow into the best of ourselves and become who we are meant to be. It’s not always an easy process but this type of destruction doesn’t have to be the worst thing when personal growth is concerned, huh?
Maybe the best way to approach this “growth cycle” is to wait happily and expectantly for that which is to come. Simply put, focus on your gains instead of your losses. If we cultivate and water our minds and place ourselves in the best surroundings growth is inevitable. The new beginnings that are the result to being broken down and reemerging into something new. I believe in a lot of ways our confidence is dependent on this process. Trusting the process and looking forward to new perspectives, dreams and goals that lie ahead. In nature nothing flourishes without dying first. It’s no different for you. But imagine all of the beauty in you that will come from it……
Reflection:
-In what ways have you experienced the “growth” cycle in your own life?
-What thoughts, mindsets, perceptions do you realize need to die within you in order for you to “grow” to the next level?
-How can you be more mindful to celebrate your growth and your process of growth?
***My 20F.A.D Stretch Goals—
Reach out to at least 50 people this week to inform/offer/follow-up about my Confidence coaching and Image services.
What are your goals?
Remember Confidence=Action! Acting doesn’t have to require feelings or emotions. It’s about pushing forward and making your gifts more accessible to others. Remember there are people who need what you have. Stop looking inward at you and focus on the people you’re using your gifts to help!