Life Practice – Personal Growth

Personal growth is of course something that happens naturally; from birth to adulthood there are obvious and observable changes that occur – certainly physically as well as mentally. But personal growth – as a life practice – is here defined, more narrowly and specifically, as the proactive effort to learn about, experience, and comprehend one’s world, one’s life, and one’s place in it.

Personal growth is, almost by definition, a given in childhood…although the comprehension part is more often likely compromised, suspect, or actually delusional; or, shall we say, patently immature. But then age takes its toll, and what began as a given evolves into one requiring effort and endeavor. Or might even wane and fade altogether, as adolescence can, and for many does, become more a challenge in survival than one of development, progress, and growth. And, eventually for many more, adulthood becomes the hedonic treadmill of doing, with little consideration or effort to thrive.

Why engage in personal growth? That is, why even make the effort? One answer might be that life is change, and to remain in some state of stasis is really a kind of death (figurative or literal), and so, with change an inevitability, why not move forward (i.e., growth) – as opposed to sideways or back? Granted, maybe “sideways” is enough, or the best one can do for a given time…but, at least to some extent, personal growth is arguably what keeps life interesting, engaging, and desirable.

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Three approaches to personal growth – each one potentially a life practice –  are here offered for consideration:

Awakening is a coming to an awareness and comprehension of something new and relevant…to you and your lived experience. This “seeing” something new, or differently, and often heretofore hidden from you can be called an awakening, because it’s almost like you were asleep – that is, unconscious of it – before. And now, being aware of “it,” it can be looked at, examined, questioned, and considered in how it may be used.

Engaging in an Examined Life is the practice – in ways myriad and rewarding – of learning about oneself, one’s being, one’s world, and one’s place in life and shared community. Socrate’s challenge (“the unexamined life is not worth living”) may be arguably suspect for some, but for others who find the need or desire, an examined life likely serves as paramount to both their growth and well being.

Goal Setting is a more specific practice in personal development, one whose focus is on individual change and achievement; the former to realize progress in one’s skills or capability, the latter providing both motivation and reward in one’s proactive endeavor.

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