Know your path – be the orchard.
Photo by: Leshaines123 |
Your view of what it means to grow is not the same as mine. It’s probably different than your neighbor’s, your friends’, and your own view from last year. This is an important point to pay attention to. You are not a brick wall that is setup one time and destined to stay in one place forever.
You started out as a baby trying to figure out what these big, loving folks were trying to say to you. You spend the rest of your life trying to figure out what to say back. If you stay in the same spot you were in last year, then you will always be where you’ve always been.
I’ve complained of not being happy about parts of my life. In the past, that would be a darn good reason for a really bad day. Now, I realize that I am in control of how each day gets interpreted. I know that everything I do is my own choice, at some level.
Does this sound like something you can believe?
Growing means to seek out a better you. To want to change because you know there is more you’re capable of. Not because you feel obligated to meet others’ standards of excellence. You know there is a better you ahead of you. It’s just a matter of the steps to get there.
Growing is about making the choices necessary to get where you are to go. An apple seed feeds no one. An orchard feeds many. The difference is growth.
True Growth and 4 Levels of Love
There are 4 levels of love that you can experience. You’ll find plenty of influential people trying to say which form of love is greatest. Each form showing different degrees of experiencing your life – each one greater than the last for helping folks out.
The quality of your life depends on which one you choose to live with and in. Here’s a break-down of the 4 Levels of Love:
Level 1: “I love ME for MY own benefit.” – Your main goal here is to focus on only your own needs and desires. Level 2: “I love YOU for MY benefit.” – You begin to turn your focus on others here, but you expect something in return. Level 3: “I love YOU for YOUR benefit.” – You focus your efforts on others, without expecting anything in return – usually at your expense. Level 4: “I love ME for YOUR benefit.” – You focus on what it takes to grow you so that you may better help others. You transform yourself into a better and better person so your ability to help others is multiplied.
Saint Bernard felt that love Level 4 is the greatest of all. I agree with the man. Think about it for a bit. If you are not able to properly take care of your family with your current situation, then what should you do about it?
Should you keep trudging along, day after day, only to come home too tired, too grumpy, and too upset to show your love for your family – just because your job sucks? Or should you keep at your job for now while taking professional development courses in your free time?
You should be growing, inch by inch, closer to a better version of you. A version of you with more time, talent, and treasures to share with your loved ones. A you that takes care of yourself because you truly desire to take care of others – only better.
Steps to Guide Your Self-Growth
Growing is just like anything else you’ll set out to do. You need to know about the steps to get there. You need to know why you’re taking the step, how to figure out the next step, to actually take the next step, and to learn from the step’s lessons.
1. Why take a step?
Knowing why you want to grow acts as fuel for your inner fire. When you pinpoint your base reasons for doing anything, you can use that as the jumping point for action. You’ll have a focused start to anything you do instead of starting from scratch each time.
2. How to figure out the next step?
Knowing the end result of your plans is a good idea. Focusing on it – not so much. Paralysis by analysis comes with too much thinking about a big goal and no path to get there – or too many paths to get there. Spend the bulk of your time and effort on figuring out the very next steps you need to take.
3. Take the next step
Now take it! Take that next step. That journey of 1000 miles begins with this first step. You will get there in time, but you have to start somewhere. Know what you need to do at step 7,000? The same thing. Take the next step.
4. Learn from your steps
Progress is a word that means a lot without telling anything about how it’s done. Progress means moving forward by doing something. It doesn’t mean each STEP is in the forward direction – just that the overall direction is forward. 2 steps back and 3 steps forward is progress. Learn from your steps back and transform them into leaps forward
5. Share what you learn
Give the gift of knowledge. You’ll trudge along through some missteps from time to time. Your desire to share these lessons with the world will help everyone grow. Become a source of education for those in need. Blaze a trail and then tell the tale.
You must follow a road-map for growth in order to get anywhere. It is through action that you’ll get things done. Guide your actions with the purpose and planning needed to get through the journey of Self-Growth.