Personal Growth

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Personal Growth Issues

Personal Growth is a very slow process. But when you look at it, that’s really neat. If every day you were a different person, you would never know how to act toward yourself. In being almost the same every day, you can adjust to change in yourself.

Some people never want to change. But if you are going to grow toward being the kind of adult that is happy and mentally strong, gradual change must be a part of your life. Each day (if you are open and honest with yourself) you learn more about yourself and the world you live in. This means you will make adjustments in your personality to better cope with your world and yourself. Change is simply a part of living.

Some people want to change too fast. But real change that becomes a part of you takes time. Just as a tree needs a good root structure to stand firm and tall, your personality needs to be rooted in lots of experiences that help you to decide the kind of person you would like to be. Again, for you to have enough experiences to decide what you like about yourself and what you would like to change takes time. So try to be patient when you are wishing that some things about you will change. But work at it.

Remember, changing too much too fast or not changing at all are both extremes which may not be best for the development of your personality. When you are aware of the need to change, be flexible enough to do so, but be gradual about it. Changing in little bits every day is where it’s at. We all generally appear consistent in our behavior, but we are all constantly making changes, too. Change really is simply a part of living. Hang in there--don’t hassle it--but don’t ignore it either.

Sometimes people make the mistake of thinking that when one tires of an activity, what they need is rest. While rest may help, a change of pace may provide far more personal growth. If you are tired from studying, instead of lying down, think of a constructive activity that will help some other part of your whole self. You might try exercising for fifteen or twenty minutes, or maybe it would benefit you to express some feelings to a friend that you have been thinking about. You will generally find it easier to get back to a required task if you alter your activity as opposed to stopping activity altogether.

Aspects of Ourselves typically in need of growth are:

Self Esteem	Positive Self-Esteem is inherently light and uplifting. Low self-esteem is insidious and affects one in all their endeavors.
Perfectionism	Perfectionism can be described as the belief that making mistakes is unacceptable, that whatever is done must be done error-free.
Impulse Control	Impulsivity is when you act before thinking about the consequences of the behavior. Impulsivity often shows itself in a lack of understanding of cause and effect.
Adjustment to College	Nearly every student encounters challenging experiences or obstacles at the beginning of college that they didn’t anticipate.