Tag Archives: growth

“What is the part of yourself that you left behind to become the person you are today?”

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“What is the part of yourself that you left behind to become the person you are today?”

—Deborah Anacona, Founder of the MIT Leadership Center

Image from Pinterest

Imagine that you are a lobster that is not on the menu of some local restaurant.

You are swimming in the ocean, doing what lobsters do.

To get to be a two pound or larger crustacean, you had to molt many times. Over the years, you broke out of your shell due to your continuous growth.

What constraining or limiting factors did you have to leave behind to reach this point?

EXERCISE:

What parts of yourself will need to grow – and what parts must be shed – to become the person you will be tomorrow?

“Stop watering things that were never meant to grow in your life. Water what works, what’s good, what’s right.”

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“Stop watering things that were never meant to grow in your life. Water what works, what’s good, what’s right.”

—T.D. Jakes, American pastor, author and filmmaker

Image from Unsplash by Markus Spiske

Fast forward about two months to early spring. Go outside and take a look at your lawn and your flower beds. You are just about to turn on the automatic sprinklers and all outside hoses are ready to water the hard-to-reach areas.

But wait!

You take a closer look at the state of these areas and see that the most robust growth seems to be mostly weeds. What do you do before flipping the switch?

EXERCISE:

Where are you currently watering the weeds in your life?

What gardening efforts are called for so that you have more of what works, what is good, and what is right growing and blossoming in your life?

“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”

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“Human nature is like water. It takes the shape of its container.”

—Wallace Stevens, 20th Century American Poet

Image from Unsplash by Delbert Pagayona

When I was a boy, one of my hobbies was maintaining a tropical fish tank with many varieties of brightly colored and various shaped species. In the early years, before they knew my level of commitment, my parents purchased a small set that included a ten-gallon tank.

As my interest grew, I graduated to more elaborate set-ups, which always involved a larger tank.

One thing I particularly enjoyed was that almost all fish species grew a bit larger in their expanded environments.

EXERCISE:

Examine some of the professional and personal containers in which you swim each day. How large is the container that supports your growth? Who are the individuals that influence your nature? What attitudes and behaviors do they exhibit?

“The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

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“The chief function of the body is to carry the brain around.”

—Thomas Edison

Sillhouette of a child with drawing of a brain

Image from NorthTexasKids

Tomorrow is my grandson Weston’s first birthday. There are so many people in his life that want to celebrate this special day that my daughter rented a pavilion in a local park to accommodate everyone.

Watching the transformation of Weston’s body and brain this year through visits and video calls has been a delight. Rolling, crawling, cruising, and of course being carried and taken many places has revealed an exponential development of how he takes in and interacts with the world.

EXERCISE:

Where will your body take your brain today? What wonderful sights, experiences, and people will you meet to bring new lessons and growth opportunities into your life?

Grow through what you go through

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“Grow through what you go through.”

—Author Unknown

Image of a plant coming through cement

Image from Unsplash by Stas Ovsky

Compared to traditional school, life is a paradox. It gives you the test first, before you learn the lesson.

What are some of the most difficult things you have gone through in your life? You know – the things that challenged you physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually?

Take a moment to actually picture yourself before that experience, and look again at your capabilities today.

What time in your life are these memories from? To what degree have you experienced these tests and challenges professionally or personally in the past year?

EXERCISE:

Regardless of whether challenges seem to find you or you initiate your own life-stretching circumstances, how can you more fully acknowledge and appreciate more of these growth opportunities?

Change is inevitable Growth is Intentional

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“Change is inevitable. Growth is Intentional.”

—Attributed to Glenda Cloud

Image of an urban garden

Image from Cadillac Gardens

A somewhat recent movement in many cities is the community garden. Residents and community members take modest sized plots of land that have gone unused or, in many cases, represent urban decay, and renew them.

Over the years, most abandoned lots have changed for the worse through the proliferation of weeds, trash, and even vandalism.

To improve these areas, committed community activists and volunteers intentionally clean up the lots and begin flower and vegetable gardens to renew and beautify their towns.

EXERCISE:

Where can you intentionally bring a greater growth mindset to create the positive change you wish to bring to your world?

Everyone Shines

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“Everyone shines, given the right lighting.”

—Susan Cain, Author of Quiet

Image of a book filled with lights

Photo from Unsplash by Long Vang

Genetics versus Environment.

Nature versus Nurture.

What do these factors have to do with how each of us turns out along our life journey?

As a coach passionate about growth and development, I do my best to keep the lights of knowledge and the beacons of wisdom prominent in my world. My intent is to shine my best in each of my communities, with the goal of contributing to those around in a meaningful way.

EXERCISE:

How and in what ways can you “amp up” the environmental voltage to illuminate yourself and those around you so that everyone’s inherent qualities and talents shine even brighter?

The Roller Coaster is My Life

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“The Roller Coaster is my life…It’s mountaineering; It’s wanting to get to the very top of yourself.”

—Paulo Coehlo, Eleven Minutes

Image of a roller coaster

Image from Unsplash by Claire Satera

The full quote for today is:
“The roller coaster is my life; Life is a fast, dizzying game; Life is a parachute jump; It’s taking chances, falling over and getting up again; It’s mountaineering; It’s wanting to get to the very top of yourself.”

Based on this quote, you might think I am a massive risk taker, tempting life and limb on a daily basis. I’ve had my share of adventures along the way, but for the most part, I am a bit more of an introvert than you might guess.

I do, however, love the idea of wanting to get to the very top of oneself, base on those life mountains or even hills we choose to climb.

EXERCISE:

In what areas of your life do you have the greatest desire for growth and achievement? How and in what ways can you be a bit more bold and courageous to get to the top of yourself in these important life domains?

You Can’t Grow Yourself Unless You Know Yourself

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“You can’t grow yourself unless you know yourself.”

—John Maxwell, American Author on Leadership

Last year was my Big “60.”  I read Daniel Pink’s new book, WHEN: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing recently. Pink points to certain dates, times, and even years in which people tend to embark on the more tectonic shifts in their lives.

My journey and exploration includes books, blogs, podcasts, and a year-long practice of daily meditation. With over 100 hours of quiet reflection, I am seeing more and more opportunities for growth in the hopeful years ahead.

EXERCISE:

What activities and efforts can and will you engage in today and in the years ahead to better “know yourself to grow yourself”?

Keep a green tree in your heart and a singing bird may come

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“Keep a green tree in you heart and a singing bird may come.”

—Chinese Proverb

Image of a singing bird on a green tree

Image from Unsplash by Ray Hennessy

If you were a bird, what would cause you to visit a particular tree? Perhaps it was a good place to find food, protection from predators, or maybe a mate and a place to nest.

Your own song would be an announcement of sorts, letting the world know that you are here, looking to attract that special someone or something.

EXERCISE:

What are your heart-centered qualities that represent the growth and aliveness of a green tree?

What do you have to offer the world? Which of these qualities are most worth singing about?