Growing Back!

I’ve been thinking about this whole concept of us growing as persons. Yes, at 58, I’m still growing. But I’m starting to wonder if I’ve got the idea of growth wrong.

Someone asked me this question : How would you separate growth from trying to be something else than your true self?

My immediate response to this was: I don’t think that’s possible, you grow in to your real self. And the more I began to ruminate about my response the better I liked it!

My response resonates with the idea that true growth is an evolution back into my authentic self. It seems to me that genuine growth involves shedding the layers accumulated over the years and rediscovering the person I was born to be.

Growing Back!

Yes, I do believe that if I’m really seeking and genuine in my search for meaning and purpose and I am willing to do the ‘work’ it takes, I will gradually be able to grow.
But grow in to what or who? Grow into the person I am meant to be. Or better yet,  ‘grow back‘ in to the person I was born as!

In the pursuit of meaning and purpose, I find that sincere exploration and commitment to the necessary inner work can guide me towards genuine growth. It’s not about becoming something else; rather, it’s about peeling away the external influences and societal expectations that may have shaped me into someone I’m not.

I believe that, at our core, we are born authentic. Life experiences, however, can lead us astray, causing us to lose touch with our true selves. The journey of growth, then, is a return to that authentic self—a process of unraveling the layers that have accumulated over time and reconnecting with the essence of who I am meant to be. Through this process, I can grow into the person I was born as, embracing my true identity and purpose.

The purpose of our lives is to give birth to the best which is within us.

~Marianne Williamson

This is Day 38 of My 66-day Journey of Healing Through Writing and Sharing.