Growth

Growth isn't for everybody. Some want to stay the same forever. Me? I'm ready for change and new growth. Growth - it's a necessity.

A natural progress in the physical also applies to every other aspect of life. From the moment we are conceived, develop from a baby through to adulthood we are constantly growing. We transition from each stage, taking what we've learnt in one period onto the next. With each of the periods of growth there are growing pains. We are transforming from one size (body, mind-set, spiritually) to another. Just as a snake grows and sheds it's old skin, as do we need to shed the old mind-set, old behavioural patterns and evolve into the new person we are becoming. Learning to do this brings in maturity of yourself.

September is specifically important to myself as it is the month we celebrate my nephew's birthday. September also marks when the academic year begins, and for many young people I know moving from school to college, and college to university which are huge steps in which they will be expanding their knowledge of the world around them and experiences also. This month had me thinking a lot about how much he's changed, developed and matured. From the beginning of his life within the womb to life outside it; it's been amazing to witness this. I still am in awe of how from a tiny cluster of cells continue to grow and develop into a baby. (Yes this is coming from a midwife)Then how the baby is born how they learn to feed, respond to familiar voices, talk, walk and begin to be their own character. As much as we treasure each moment they are over with a blink of an eye. Within the year the amount he has learnt, and what he can do is amazing. Not only the physical growth of him but when he was learning to walk talk and interact with others.

I'll use the example of him learning how to walk. From learning to crawling by observing my God-brother's son crawling who is the same age, he jut decided one day to start crawling. He observed how the other baby crawled and how he could get to other toys much quicker than he could. It took him around a week to learn and once that happened he was crawling from room to room. Then the walking came! This is when I'm realising the baby stage will soon be over and a little toddler will be standing in front of me literally!! From nursery again through observation of other babies/toddlers walking and from praises and support from his family he learnt putting one foot in front of the other and then the other foot slowly he could move forward like the big people around him. At first it was a step or two here and there then he'd fall. But that didn't stop him, he repeat this over and over until there was a point he could walk 4/5 steps. My sister would constantly praise him on his efforts and the glee on his face was priceless. Then came the day he just got up and walked and didn't stop. The constant persistence of practising repeatedly got him the confident he needed to just get up and go. Now when we walk off into the kitchen thinking we're alone, give him 2 minute and he's right behind seeing what else can he learn now? Cupboard banging is the new game... I digress. His attitude (like many other babies) is what we need exactly. Any new challenges that come up against us that we need to go forth with them, practising the skills repeatedly, until we become more confident in them.

"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart..." Jeremiah 1:5a

This is like us when we work towards our goals and achieve our dreams. We plant this within ourselves, ensuring we have look after what is conceived within us. Call unto professionals to ensure the growth is where it should be; healthy development. Than comes the birthing process - bringing forth the vision you have and making it become a reality. Be it a business idea, new position at work, or role within church etc. Just as the seed forms into a flourishing flower there are stages and steps that need to be taken along with the equipment needed to ensure healthy growth. We also need the right conditions, regular water and nourishment, sunshine and shade and TIME!  This all takes time. Anything that's of high value will take time. Patience will be required. It's painful as there is uncertainty of what will happen once it's out there. Take whatever it is your desire to do with yourself or any project you would like to do and take time to write down all that is needed for this. Look at the tools required and gather these together. Anybody you know who has done this before ask them for their assistance and advice on how to achieve this.

Similarly to exercise or gardening, its important to ingest the correct nutrients, hydration (so many benefits we shall cover in another post #StayHydrated), and cut off any dead things. Letting go to what is stagnant and rotting away. This can be relationships, habits, behaviours etc that cause us to be distracted, unfocused and not able to fully bloom. Some will be easier than others to break, easier to identify also people to cut off. But in order for your growth's sake this will be important some things won't be immediately obvious but with time it will be revealed. Don't like waste products contaminate your growth.

There will be a state of vulnerability. You will feel isolated and alone at times. Growth feels like you're the only one going trough this process and no-one else will understand you. Be encouraged that there will always be someone to help you through this; someone would has been there before you and cam empathise with you. You one day will be helping others who will go through the maturing process so enjoy it all. Watching my nephew grow from needing to be with his mother predominantly most of the time to now walking and (trying to) talk, that through proper nurturing and encouraging self development he has gotten to this stage. There will be times where you will feel discouraged because things didn't work out the way to want to, and you'll think that's the end! NO!! Get up, brush yourself off and try again. Once that's mastered that there will be another thing to do. As we master new skills and develop ourselves we get better in these skills. All this together we grow learning about ourselves and how we can help others do the same.

As for me, I know there are new roles for me to step into (which scares me due to the responsibility) but I know that in this season it is time for me to step up into the roles. I've gone through certain situations and they weren't to be experienced to be then archived never to draw from again; but for me to use them. I'm not fully grown (but then who is?!) but at the age of 25 I haven't lived a full life as of yet. There are things I'm still learning but I invite you to take this path with me, of self discovery and elevating from one level to this next.

It's like any growth

You can't be ready for it, it's growth.

It's gonna be new.

It's new growth it's new life, you're gonna be a new person.

Growth, it's a necessity.

Empress ever evolving

Sept/16