Growth can mean many things. It can be the process of learning new skills that will help us in the workplace. It also entails becoming a better human being.
Even if perfection is unachievable, and we will always make mistakes, there are still ways to make our own lives better and more fruitful. Here are some of them.
Trying New Foods
Whether it’s a glass of Vietnamese snake wine, some Scottish Haggis, or a spoonful of sweet chilli or spicy bagoong to complement a plate of Filipino garlic fried rice, food is not only about experiencing different tastes and getting to know what you like and don’t like.
It’s also about allowing yourself to understand and learn from different cultures. It’s an opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and see the world through the eyes of others.
After all, few things say more about your habits, family life, and general upbringing than the food you eat. And you will never know the many edible wonders that exist out there if you are unwilling to try them.
A Personal Journey
No matter who you are or what you do, someone will always do it better. You will also never be the worst. As such, it is useless and counterproductive to compare yourself to others and envy them for the position you think they are in.
Remember, you don’t know the specific circumstances of their journey. A happy, successful, cheerful facade is often different from reality and doesn’t rightfully represent the many struggles we are going through at any moment.
If you have not figured it out yet, life is full of ups and downs, and what you are experiencing today is not necessarily the same as what you will see tomorrow.
Gradual Improvement
Losing 20 pounds in two weeks is neither achievable nor realistic. It might be both dangerous and reckless even to try it.
Yet, for one reason or another, most of us like to set goals far beyond our reach. And when we don’t reach them, we punish ourselves and say it was because we lacked discipline, commitment, mental toughness, or physical strength.
What we must understand is that where we are is where we are. It most likely didn’t take us a short time to get here, and it won’t take a short time to get out, either.
But that doesn’t mean we cannot begin. It doesn’t mean we cannot lay the foundation for gradual improvement and set short-term objectives to guide us.
The Power of Forgiveness
When asked about forgiveness, American author Caroline Myss responded, “By far the strongest poison to the human spirit is the inability to forgive oneself or another person. Forgiveness is no longer an option but a necessity for healing.”
A human being in most developed countries will live close to 80 years. At this time, it is statistically impossible for you not to encounter someone who will do you wrong.
Of course, some things are worse than others. If your best friend betrays you, it will be much more difficult to forgive and forget than if a stranger borrows a pen from you and doesn’t return it.
But the most challenging thing is to forgive yourself and grant yourself another chance. Yet, the most important one will allow you to move forward and improve your life.
Smart Risk-Taking
Fighting with a trained mixed martial artist to prove your manhood to a pretty girl is not risky if you are a man.
Neither is jumping into a pool of shark-infested waters, especially if there is a small cut on your body and you happen to be bleeding. In all honesty, they are both acts of stupidity and brainlessness.
If the outcome is guaranteed, there is no risk in action taken. Risk entails at least two options with different probabilities of coming to fruition. And if intelligent risk-taking is what you want to engage in, the reward must be something that will either make you grow as a human being or bring you happiness.
Don’t forget doing things simply to do them or to impress others achieves neither.
Five simple yet effective tips for loving yourself more and growing as a human being are eating different foods, focusing on yourself, taking steps to improve little by little, exercising forgiveness, and knowing when and what risks to take. We all have one chance at life. So let us make the best of it, one day at a time.
