It only takes watching the world around us to see just how quickly and inevitably things change. If we reflect on ourselves, it's clear that we change as well: our likes and dislikes, our passions, our fears. However, in some ways we still expect things to stay the same, like the people we love, our abilities and our values, to name a few. When we think of growth, the last thing we probably expect is for something to stay the same. When we look at a tree or flower, if it's growing, we can tell. The fruits of a plant are inherent of its growth. As is the same for us: if we're growing, our fruits will show. Here are some more reasons why growth is so essential for all of us and why we should not just expect it, but encourage it.
Moving forward allows us to hope
Stagnation, or allowing ourselves to sit, tells us we can't or shouldn't do differently. Growth tells us we can and should strive for variety, even if that means experiencing failure. Sometimes especially if that means failure. If we don't fail, we don't realize that the way we've been doing something isn't going to get us the results we want. When we allow ourselves to try to better ourselves, we're allowing ourselves to hope--not that we'll be the best at everything, but that we'll try our best at everything.
We're encouraged to experience
Have you ever heard anyone say that any experience is good experience? Well...I don't believe that to be true. I think that there are some roads, that after walking a while on, are roads that we shouldn't decide to keep trudging on. I believe even the worst of experiences can shape us for the better, but it's only after attempting a different path that we can tell which direction we're supposed to move in.
We move forward because we need to.
...and not necessarily because we want to. I don't believe we should rush through all of the mundane or hurtful situations in life in order to "get to the good stuff." Sometimes the hardest moments in life are actually the beginning of something better that we just aren't ready to experience yet. Yes, there are so many good moments in life that we should always cherish. But we shouldn't rush through any moment that we don't see as exciting, happy or monumental in that moment. Sometimes the normal, everyday moments are those we miss the most.
Moving forward isn't easy
Moving forward, no matter what it is you're moving on from, has the potential to be one of the hardest decisions you've made. Whether it's deciding to pursue a passion or changing your environment and the people you're surrounded with, it's never easy to physically and mentally change your situation because it requires conscious effort. However, it's almost always worth it.
Just as the seasons and all living things change, so should we anticipate changes in our lives, even if we can't always control or foresee them. Sometimes the best way to deal with change in our lives is to accept and welcome its existence in our lives and know that through every change we endure, we are being shaped into who we were created to be.
