I’m so happy to have started my journey of personal growth, which I love calling my inner journey.
Yes, it’s hard sometimes to intensively reflect yourself, to tune into your body, to observe your thoughts and emotions, but it’s so worth it and your growth never stops.
It is a process.
The word ‘Personal Growth’ has become a much deeper meaning for me over the last couple of years since I have been diving deeper into my personal growth. In this blog post, I want to share some success stories with you, to inspire you to start walking and to keep going, even if you might think at some point:
What did I get myself into?
My first success relates to my sensory channels and my perception. I knew that my visual sense was already strongly developed, but thanks to my yoga teacher training my kinaesthetic sense unfolded, too. And just to clarify, doing my yoga teacher training was already a beautiful result of my personal growth. With two strongly developed senses and a better perception of myself, I noticed that my auditive channel however was slightly underdeveloped. Which brings me to my success: I’m treating myself and others more consciously, with even more love and respect. I see more, I feel more and after months of sharpening my perception skills, I also hear and listen more. It is so enriching to give my life more depth and meaning by the power of personal growth and better perception skills.
My second success story relates to my linguistic skills. Thanks to my better perception, I have also been able to improve my possibilities and means of expression, both verbally and non-verbally. The beautiful thing is it’s not only me feeling that my communication have become clearer, it is also acknowledged by others. Especially in moments and conversations when I was truly present, with all my senses. This is really the key to everything, to be present in the here and now. For example, if you have a conversation with someone, really focus on that person, avoid distractions, look at the person, listen and gradually feel into the person. I know it is not always easy, but start by bringing your awareness to your perception. Speaking of communication… I am a communicative person, hence it’s also a success for me to see, feel and hear, when it’s better not to say anything and to stay in silence. Who can relate?
Talk is silver, silence is golden.
Train your perception, because this is where communication begins. Always.
When it comes to communication, I also increasingly notice, especially when overhearing conversations in cafés, how many conflicts and misunderstandings simply derive from a different perspective of life. You must know that each person has their own individual perception, hence everyone sees the world differently. Everyone has a different map of reality. Does this make sense?
The map is not the territory. (Alfred Korzybski)
This phrase illustrates the differences between belief and reality. Our perception of the world is generated by our brain. Every perception, every map looks differently.
I understand more than ever that there is no such thing as compartmentalisation. No right or wrong. There are simply different perceptions based on education, values, culture and developed belief systems.
With my personal growth journey, my understanding for the other side of the medal has dramatically improved. I feel more relaxed, probably because I am fighting less for my perception of the world, but instead regard other perceptions as incredibly exciting and inspiring.
Last but not least I record as success what Mahatma Gandhi already said:
You must become the change you wish to see in the world.
I understood that I am responsible for my life, only me. I also realised that we as human beings have the wonderful capability to impact the pathways of our brain in order to overwrite negative and unwanted emotions, behaviours and actions with something positive. We can change our lives from negative to positive. Isn’t that amazing?
Of course, it’s always easier to blame someone else in a difficult situation, but nothing will ever change, if you don’t start with yourself first. My change and personal development clearly shows the positive shifts in my life, by starting with myself. By changing myself and my perception of reality. I extended my map of reality by reflecting myself and my environment. So as a result I notice immediately when I am reacting and acting based on one of my automatisms. Then I can intervene consciously, I say ‘Stop’ and make a new and better choice.
Like Lao Tse said:
Every journey begins with a single step.
I understood that this first step needed to come from me. And so my personal growth journey started.
I want to inspire you to start walking and to keep walking. The process never stops. And it is such a blessing to develop and to grow. Trust me, life holds so much love and joy, once you start walking. What’s holding you back?
Yours, Nina
NINA SADLOWSKY 