Picked up a random poetry book From the crowded shelf. Quick easy hour read: Delight and wonder. Then, Found…
The Need for Personal Growth
I am still thinking about the concept of choices and changes.
Seven years ago I went back to school to start a teaching career. With motivation and eagerness, I stepped into my first classroom: a windowless room with old desks and stained carpet. It was my room for that year though and I relished the opportunities I had to make the best of what I had to help my students.
But what should I say about that first year, second year, third year? Well this quote from Robin Sharma seems the most appropriate.
Three years of teaching and I sank deep into chronic depression and anxiety… ailments I did not even realize I had before spending hours and hours trying to better myself as a teacher to make others happy. In reality, no one at school cared that I was putting so much effort into my work, and my family never saw me.
Then, because I believe God always sends up angels to help us when we least expect it, I found myself being mentored by a new friend, one of the school counselors.
Through our conversations this friend made me realize that what I needed was to come to terms with the solitary mountain I had built around myself, both professionally and personally. I had to learn how to use different strategies to help me start changing my depression and anxiety into personal growth. Through my daily effort to practice positive affirmations, meditations, and journaling, I taught myself to get off that mountain.
Now, I am someone who understands how much my own needs are compared to others. I recognize the things that cause me sadness or worry; I seek to change my mindset to a positive one by recognizing my feelings and altering them by listening to peaceful music or going for a walk.
In my book on amazon.com, Married to an Atheist A Love Story from Idaho, I explain on page 328:
"With time and practice, I begin to heal, mentally and soulfully, not just change. I step down from my perfection pedestal as I lose the need for it. I had been thinking for so long that my husband was the one that needed to change. Now, I admit that we both have our own healing to go through in order to be better as a couple. We do not need to change, we need to heal our thinking to improve our communication, our relationship. I know that God has been with me through my mistakes; He continues to provide comfort, daily reminders that love surrounds me."
No one is expected to be perfect. Adversity turns out to be our friend who is conditioning us when we do find ourselves climbing a mountain with no hope of reaching the peak. That peak is not as far as it seems if we can only take time to listen to ourselves and make necessary changes.
Here are some useful resources to help in achieving your personal growth:
Get Out of Your Head: A Toolkit for Living with and Overcoming Anxiety by Brian Sachetta
The Greatest You: Face Reality, Release Negativity, and Live Your Purpose by Trent Shelton and Lou Aronica
Remember: Check out and write a review for my book! Married to an Atheist A Love Story from Idaho
Blessings to you reader!