Are You Ready to Grow?

It might be hard to see something that is right in front of your face. A simple analogy would be putting your nose to the television screen. Things are pretty blurry. The further you pull back from the screen, the better able you are to see the entire picture. Your vision will get clearer. Are you ready to grow, to see a change in your life? There is power in the road to self-improvement. Until you are really ready for this change to happen, you could be tripping over clues and not notice. It seems to only be when things are their worst that you get motivated to change and grow.

Have you heard the analogy of putting a toad in a pot of boiling water? He doesn't stay there long because he realizes instantly that this is not a place he wants to be. On the other hand, if you put a toad in a pot of tepid water and slowly bring it to a boil, the silly toad will stay right there and cook before he realizes it.

You meet people every day who act like that second toad. People who only learn their lessons the hard way, through pain and anguish. In hindsight, most of us can see where there were signs that things were not quite right. When your clothes are getting tighter, that is a sure sign that you may need to take off a few pounds. The washer did not shrink your clothes. If you eat a lot of sweets and you start getting tooth problems, that would be a good time to change those habits before you have to leave your teeth in a jar at night. If you wheeze just going up a few steps, do you think it might be time to quit the cigarettes? Change is difficult, but it causes way more hurt when you do not pay attention to the signs.

Whether you like it, growth must occur. There are always turning points in each life. You must tap into the power of your ability to change for your higher good. Don't do it because your spouse nags you or coworkers feel free to offer opinions. Do it for yourself. Dive into the challenge of growing and changing. You do not have to wait until things are at their lowest point to do this. Resisting change because you believe that your current situation is just the way things are supposed to be leaves you in the pot of tepid water.

Even though self-improvement may not be the favorite buzzword of the day, if we try to see things from a different angle, the process may turn out to be enjoyable. It is not required that you dread this process. Yes, getting yourself to the gym three days a week might be a pain, but the rewards are worth the investment. Reading a good book instead of watching trash television will keep you from losing IQ points. These are just small things you can do to make the process of growth easier. It is going to happen whether you want to suffer through it or enjoy it. Choose joy.