It’s tempting to try to find a way around certain issues. But avoiding is not a path to growth. We must honestly face and go through our pain, difficulties, and even strengths in order to grow.
There’s some truth to the sentiment no pain, no gain. Whether working out, advancing our education, or building relationships – there’s a cost to growth.
And we cannot enjoy the benefits of growth without first going through the process and paying the cost.
We don’t grow by avoiding hard conversations or taking an honest look at our own contributions to a problem.
Likewise, our growth stalls when we avoid learning the basic building blocks needed for our journey ahead. We must learn to walk before we run.
But growing through is a dynamic that plays out with our strengths as well.
We have a tendency to focus on our shortcomings, and certainly there’s a time for this. But we likely limit our growth when we don’t also learn to leverage our strengths.
For example, while an introvert would likely benefit from learning to engage in more social activities, this is probably best achieved by first embracing the strength of his introversion.
It’s then through this strength he gains the inner confidence to explore other ways of being. And it’s doubtful this growth would take place if he avoids what he already does well.
Similar to facing our pains and difficulties, we grow through our strengths and not by ignoring them.
The more we avoid the greater our frustration grows.
But as we befriend reality and grow through the good, the bad, and the ugly we come out on the other side better versions of ourselves.
What are you avoiding that might be blocking your growth?
Face it and grow through it.
Photo by Nourdine Diouane on Unsplash
