I like this idea of measuring my personal progress against myself. I've definitely been guilty of comparing myself to others for years and years--and its usually a slippery slope that leads to resentment and self-criticism. There will always be someone smarter, prettier, or richer than I am. I'm doomed to failure if I constantly compare myself to others, but I have the capability of success if instead I compare myself to a younger me.
So how is personal growth measured? I think most personal growth is rooted in getting to know yourself and becoming comfortable in your own skin. I also think everyone's measuring stick is probably different, based on their own fears and strengths. What seems like a monumental obstacle to one person may seem like a bump in the road or even a piece of cake to another. So the question becomes, how do I measure my own personal growth?
First off, I think I've come a long way in ceasing to be a chameleon. When I was younger, I used to take on the opinions of others without exploring my own feelings. I'd mirror the views of whoever I was with, afraid to take a stance on any issue for myself. I guess I was fearful that my viewpoint would be "wrong." I had a higher opinion of everyone else's beliefs than I had of my own. In some cases, I was afraid of offending others by speaking my mind. As I've aged, I've found my own voice and learned that my individual perspective not only counts, but it's valuable.
Another way I've grown is by not taking life so seriously. I'm able to laugh more, especially at myself. When I make a mistake, I can usually find the humor in the situation rather than punishing myself. I feel that my smiles are more genuine, and my laughs originate from a deeper place under the surface. I had someone tell me that when I laugh, it sounds like it comes from my toes. I took that as a good thing!
I measure my growth by the number of times I go out on a limb and try something new, rather than staying in the safe confines of what I already know. And even if I slip backwards or the limb breaks off from under me and I land in a heap, I refuse to stay put and I eventually try once again. I realize that if I don't take some risks and venture into the unknown, I'll never find out all that I'm capable of accomplishing.
One Monday morning I arrived at work after spending a three-day weekend at the Georgia Bike Fest with a friend. I had posted pictures from my fun weekend on Facebook. I overheard a co-worker and "Facebook friend" laughingly say, "When I grow up, I want to be Sharon." She explained herself further by saying, "She sets goals and has a lot of fun reaching them." That brief statement had a huge impact on me. It's nice when people point out the strengths they see in us, especially when we haven't really noticed them in ourselves.
Of course, if I were to graph my growth progress, it certainly wouldn't appear as a steady uphill climb. Instead, there would be lots of dips and leveling out along the way, even the occasional downhill slide. Sometimes there'd be a sharp ascent, but more often the small rises would be in halting, baby steps. But there would definitely be overall progress. I'm still working on the best version of me.
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