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Some people choose to live in the sidelines because that is where they’re most comfortable. They are most comfortable passively watching the action rather than participating in it. What they don’t realize is that, by staying in the sidelines, they are choosing not to get involved in their own lives. They are choosing not to grow; and that which doesn’t grow is either stagnant or dying. For said reason, you must make a choice: you must choose to remain in the sidelines of your own life or choose to grow. If you decide to always be working on yourself, you will be ready when the time and opportunity comes to simply show up. If you’re ready to live life to the fullest through self-growth, read on to find out how.
- Have a growth-mindset as opposed to a fixed-mindset. Your intelligence, character, and brain development are not set in stone -they are not fixed. “Your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts, your strategies, and help from others” (Dweck, 2017). Did you make a mistake? What can you do to be better next time? You will be constantly growing if it is your choosing to do so.
- Create healthy habits and routines. Make these healthy habits and routines your normalcy. Find time to engage in physical activity, meditate, listen to podcasts, and take care of yourself. Broaden your comfort zone by adopting these habits and routines into your schedule. Give yourself time to perfect your routines through consistency.
- Have a grateful heart. Yes, strive for greatness, but also be grateful for what you have. Make this a habit. For how can you be happy if you are constantly focused on what you don’t have instead of focusing on what you do have? Be happy with what you have and want what you have. It is your focus that dictates your life perspective and point of view. Have a mindset of abundance, not of scarcity. What you work for will come in due time. If you want to find out how to make gratefulness a habit, click here.
- Step outside of your comfort zone. Since we grow outside of our comfort zone, try to find uncomfortable situations that you find pleasant to partake in. It might be that sewing class you never took but wanted to take or those surfing lessons they provide during the weekends. Acquire experience. Acquire knowledge. Set realistic, manageable goals; S.M.A.R.T. and practical goals to be exact. Make them challenge you enough so as to motivate you to grow and keep going, but not too challenging so as to discourage you and stop you from growing. Who knows, you can even make that pleasantly challenging situation your calling.
- Be consistent. Whatever it is you decide to do in life, let your passion be defined by your consistency. Visualize who you want to be very vividly. Make becoming that person your life purpose. See what it takes to be that person inside of you and consistently show up as them. Find out what their habits and routines look like. Practice does not make perfect. Consistent perfect practice makes perfect. If you mess up, it’s okay. You can always do better next time.
- Hang out with people who inspire you to be a better person and vice versa and that includes yourself. You are, after all, the average of the 5 people with which you hang out the most. Make sure they bring out the best in you. Form strong connections with them. In your solitude, be that light of positivity you yourself need to not fall into complacency. Ask yourself, “who do I need myself to be at this moment to inspire me to be better?” Also, be with people who value you and don’t take your presence for granted. It’s best to be alone than with bad company.
- Pick up life’s valuable lessons, make yourself valuable in the process, and add that synergistic value back into the world. Be a student of life and learn constantly. Stay curious my friends. Above all, share your knowledge with people. Remember to give to people freely to be able to receive things from the universe.
Your intelligence, character, and brain development are not set in stone -they are not fixed. “Your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts, your strategies, and help from others.”
(Dweck, 2017)
References
Dweck, C. S. (2017). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success – How We can Learn to Fulfill Our Potential. London: Robinson, an imprint of Constable & Robinson, Ltd.
Positive Psychology Strategies for Increased Happiness. (2022). Retrieved from University of New Hampshire: https://www.unh.edu/pacs/positive-psychology-strategies-increased-happiness
The Pros and Cons of Comfort Zones: Acknowledging and wisely deciding when to embrace and break through boundaries is critical to career and life successes. (2022). Retrieved from Walden University: Education for Good: https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/psychology/resource/the-pros-and-cons-of-comfort-zones#rfi-form
