Growth is a return on the investments of patience and nurturing that occurs every second of each day. Growth happens so slowly in the present moment, yet so quickly when reflected upon.

Photo by: Autumn Mott Rodeheaver @autumnmott

Making a plan or setting a goal is filled with hopefulness and provides a sense of being in control. Once a plan is put into action the momentum is alive with small positive achievements leading the way. What happens next can be a breaking point as things begin shifting around and the efforts start taking shape. Why is this so uncomfortable? The past may be the answer. Fear sabotages many starting points that were put into action only to get squashed before any results could transpire. Think back to a time when you backed out of or quit something and got zero or worse results from when you started. Staying uncomfortable being out of full control will lead to an, “I’ll take my toys and go home,” reaction. This moment is an opportunity to practice patience and trust in the whole process. It can be stressful to remain uncomfortable for what feels like an eternity, but the alternative would be never seeing the outcome of your intentions and efforts. Imagine if you ripped seeds from the ground before they had time to germinate, no flowers or goals met. The growth process includes the setbacks that will occur and create delays in your expected timeframe. Use this phrase to get through these rough moments, “Right now, as the process is working for me and because of me, I am feeling discouraged as the natural balance wavers back and forth. I have to be comfortable with what seems like a setback to benefit from the growth. I promise myself to see it through with patience and trust in the myself and the process.”