When we think about the concept of personal growth, we tend to think of it as something that is peripheral. It's the type of work we do once we've finished our "real" work. It's the first thing to go when we have to re-prioritize. It's often seen as a luxury, reserved for when we have time to invest in ourselves. What if we shifted that model? If nothing else, this year has taught us about impermanence. Life is short, and nothing moving forward is certain. By investing in our personal growth, we begin to build a foundation for ourselves, so that there is thought and intention behind everything we do. It ensures we focus on what matters. By investing in our personal growth, we can change the way we approach our jobs, our decisions and our directions. At OutGrowth, we are always talking about the impact that immersion, travel and new experiences can have on our outlook and our next moves. We see personal growth as intentional immersion into novel experiences. We argue that these novel experiences need to be baked into our daily living. When we make growth the norm, we avoid getting stuck. We avoid being stagnant. After all, novel experiences are proven to make us think more creatively. Through personal growth, we can grow into the leaders we've always wanted to be. We can make purposeful life and career choices, armed with a commitment to knowledge and perspective-building. This month, I am excited to share stories of personal growth from two inspiring writers, one of whom is an alum of OutGrowth's Legacy Internship cohort! I also provide you with resources to inspire and guide your journey to growth. Happy reading. Grow out with us. |
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OutGrowth Today Our Monthly Blogger Spotlight + OutGrowth's Top Tip for September The En Root Scoop Growing Ourselves Our Top Ted Talk, Podcast and Book for Personal Growth |
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Inside a chrysalis, a butterfly is not just resting, but building upon thousands and thousands of cells. As 2020 continues to veer its course, we nestle in our cocoons, holding onto the hope of metamorphosis. Expectations are on hold. We are hovering in anticipation of nothing and everything. Some days I feel I am watching my life pass by, and others I can see it all so clearly. As we revel in this collective grief, some now view life in before and after. I see my journey the same way - except before is September 3, 2015, and after is every day that followed. I firmly believe in self-actualization, but sometimes it can morph and create an unattainable, idealized version of your future self. When I graduated from college, I dreaded becoming stagnant and grudging away at a 9-5. I wanted to see the world, to discover my passion, to really “eat, pray, love” the heck out of life. I moved to Prague a year after graduating college, ready to become the best version of myself. I got certified to teach English and was on my way towards my idealized life abroad that I had been imagining since I was 18.
Before starting a full-time job, I volunteered in the mountains of Poland teaching English. I was posting beautiful photos online. I was meeting volunteers from all over the world. I was doing what people dreamed of. Honestly, I enjoyed knowing others were envious. Then I broke my leg and my world literally came crashing down. I was brought to a small Polish hospital and several hours later a translator told me I needed surgery. The next morning, I was wheeled away and a rod was inserted into my left leg. A concoction of confusion and loneliness followed me in a cab across the border to the Czech Republic, to start my life in a city I barely knew.
I am (at times painfully) self-determined and decided to stay in Prague. I was in survival mode and refused to let this deter me from my “dream life.” Either I continue on this path or return home, the latter which I considered a failure. I found a full-time job and taught English lessons to Czech students, sitting on the floor with the kids as my crutches watched over me. I had roommates from my TEFL program that graciously took care of me. I made it through. I continued to document my journey for the world to admire - optimistic captions masking the overwhelming anxiety I felt most days. Sometimes I scroll through photos I posted during this time and marvel at the facade I created. A year passed. |
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I had finished my first full year teaching. I was, for the most part, healed and excited to travel again. After six weeks in Iceland, I volunteered in Italy at a wellness center on Lake Orto. Things were moving forward. I felt at peace. This was the universe apologizing. This was my reward. September 3rd, I am in Prague making pasta with several new friends I had met in Italy. Sometimes I rake through the memories of this night, trying to find anything I missed. I woke up late with a missed call from my Dad. I call back and they tell me that Luke - their youngest son, my little brother - had died in a car accident.
There is before and after. Before Luke died and after. Grief is a cruel and excruciatingly slow wave that won’t ever crash. The following year is a blur. I moved home. I worked random jobs. I tried to make it through the hour. And then another. And another. I thought working in the same city I attended college was a failure. I would not be deterred from my idealized life abroad. I made a plan. A re-do. I would move to New Zealand for a year with a working holiday visa. I would do yoga, practice mindfulness, and really find peace within myself. I admitted I was running away, but ignored the reality.
My determination, and perhaps stubbornness, led me on a twenty-hour plane ride across the Atlantic to New Zealand. Then back a short nine months later. It turns out, as Jon Kabat-Zinn states, “Wherever you go, there you are.” In the Spring of 2017, I moved home to Baltimore to plant my roots and continue to heal. I began to slowly dissect the question, “What do you do?” I know I am more than my career. I am not defined by my past. I am not my thoughts. I am so much more. Five years ago this month, my life was completely shattered. And exactly five years later, I sent in my application to begin the path towards a Masters in Social Work. Accepting impermanence creates room for growth and I will continue to bloom. Wish me luck. Emily Bartlett is a native of Baltimore, MD. Since graduating with her B.A. in Psychology, she has prioritized exploration and personal growth - spending time teaching, volunteering, and farming abroad. Combining her passion for community outreach and mental health advocacy, Emily plans to continue her journey towards becoming a licensed social worker. |
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I don’t always think about the person I used to be and how far I’ve come. But I should. We all should. Personal growth is so important! Not only allowing yourself to grow, but being able to recognize your growth both personally and professionally, truly changes your outlook on life. Growing up, I unintentionally created a bubble for myself. I limited myself because I was afraid. I was completely content with the idea of spending my entire life in Maryland, never traveling, seeing the world or experiencing anything new. I knew what I was comfortable with and that seemed like enough for me. I did not realize it at the time, but I was stuck in this bubble. It wasn’t until my junior year of college that my mindset shifted. This excited and energetic woman, Anna Fitzgibbon, walked into my internship prep class and gave a presentation promoting this program she had come up with called OutGrowth, in which she partnered college students with local farms who would benefit from services in their particular area of study. I can’t really explain to you why, but I felt like this was something I needed to be a part of. I went through the application process, interviewed with Anna, and was paired with a farm on the Eastern shore. To me, this still felt very much within my bubble. It was still in Maryland, only a couple of hours from my house. How different could it really be? I spent a month living and working at this farm, seeing and experiencing this foreign way of living. And when I tell you this experience changed my life, I mean it! I thought to myself, if something so close to home was so different, what else was I missing? It completely and utterly shattered my bubble! I questioned everything I previously thought about the way I wanted to experience life. It was in that month that I realized I wanted more. I wanted to be open to any and all experiences life threw at me. From that point on, I stopped limiting myself and started being truly open to and advocating for my own personal growth. |
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Over the next year, I decided to take risks. I made up my mind that I was not going to continue to live in my bubble. From small things like trying new foods or starting conversations with strangers, to big things like studying abroad in London --experiences I never in a million years would have considered doing before. I started thinking about life after graduation and applying to jobs, and decided the sky truly was the limit! As a Graphic Designer, I thought of the one place I would love to work but never would have thought possible - Walt Disney World. I applied to six different positions, fully expecting never to hear back from any of them. But to my surprise, I did. I ended up receiving an offer to be a Graphic Design and Communication Professional Intern for the Food and Beverage Department at Walt Disney World in Florida. It still seems so surreal, even now. I moved to a new state for a new job where I knew absolutely no one. And I loved it! I went from a girl living in a bubble, afraid to break out of my comfort zone to someone who is ready to take the world by storm and is open to all experiences. It's crazy to think that all it took was one internship on a farm to change my perspective and open my eyes to how blind I was before. So, I challenge you to think about your bubble. Think about the things that scare you. Think about the things that excite you. Think about the journey you are on and about the path you would like to take next. Don’t be afraid to take a leap of faith and do something completely crazy and out of your comfort zone! Reflect on how far you have come already, but never forget that there is always room to grow. Don’t be afraid to pop your bubble! Victoria Doda is a fun-loving, go-with-the-flow city girl born and raised in South Baltimore, with a passion for all things creative. She loves learning new things, meeting new people, and wholeheartedly believes in the power of positive thinking. |
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| | Monthly Blogger Spotlight Empowering Others to Thrive Through Personal Growth by George Webb Jr. 'Expand your knowledge, dip your toes into the teachings about the Universe, quantum physics, manifestation. Don't discount things because of how they sound or how they are perceived, learn about them, seek the truth, try them on and see if they fit. Quiet yourself and listen to your inner voice. If you don't know how, learn to meditate or find another technique. If you have a strong enough desire find anything, you will find it, but you have to start looking first.' George has been an educator for 18 years. Currently, he is a 4th-Grade teacher at McDonogh School in Owings Mills. He is also a Certified Life Coach and Health Coach. Learn more about his program, Total Transformation: The 90 Day Intensive by emailing him at: healthylifecoachgeorge@gmail.com | | |
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| | OutGrowth's Top Tip On Personal Growth: Build in Bravery At OutGrowth, we lead workshops on cultivating bravery. Bravery, like most things, is a practice rather than an innate quality. Part of what we teach during our Bravery Workshops is carving out a "brave" time of the week, where we can take real steps toward something that scares us. This could mean that 30 minutes a week, we start to acknowledge and journal uncomfortable truths. This could mean that we spend 30 minutes a week making calls and developing leads for a venture we want to start. This could mean that we fill out one new job application, or map out how we are going to negotiate with our employer. This could mean that we sign up for that race we've always wanted to run. Building in space but placing limits on bravery time ensures we grow our way forward, while keeping our steps bite-sized and feasible. | | |
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'Artist and poet Cleo Wade recites a moving poem about being an advocate for love and acceptance in a time when both seem in short supply. Woven between stories of people at the beginning and end of their lives, she shares some truths about growing up (and speaking up) and reflects on the wisdom of a life well-lived, leaving us with a simple yet enduring takeaway: be good to yourself, be good to others, be good to the earth. "The world will say to you, 'Be a better person,'" Wade says. "Do not be afraid to say, 'Yes.'" | | |
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'If you’re interested in learning more about mindfulness, then this is the podcast for you. The Mindful Kind, hosted by Rachel Kable, shares insights into mindfulness journeys and provides listeners with simple and effective practices to incorporate into their own lives. Mindfulness can help you improve so many areas of your life including stress, productivity, relationships, and more. Rachel sheds light on so many important topics, including relaxation, using your phone mindfully, being more productive, leveling up your relationships, and managing your mind.' -Erin Gobler, Writer and Entrepreneur | | |
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'From the host of the award-winning MarieTV and The Marie Forleo Podcast, this is an indispensable handbook for becoming the creative force of your own life. While most self-help books offer quick fixes, Everything is Figureoutable will retrain your brain to think more creatively and positively in the face of setbacks. In the words of Cheryl Strayed, it’s “a must-read for anyone who wants to face their fears, fulfill their dreams, and find a better way forward.”' | | |
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