Slow Growth is Still Progress.

Confession - I’ve become a plant lady. A single pothos for Christmas last year has morphed into 11 plants of 8 different varieties. I’m becoming low-key obsessed.

What I love most is sitting in my thinking chair every morning as I journal, watching the sunshine stream through the windows and land on the new leaves opening on my rubber ficus.

My thinking chair is where I do most of my dreaming + scheming. It’s where I ask God how he wants me to use my gifts and I get still, listening for the stirrings that arise in my heart as he answers.

Sometimes, I get impatient. Alright, a lot of times I get impatient! 🙃 I thought I’d be further along by now. So many dreams have yet to come to fruition. Then I look over, see my rubber ficus, and I’m reminded that slow growth is still progress.

We humans live in a world of quick fixes and instant gratification. Long gone are the days of waiting patiently for people to return the VHS tape to Blockbuster. Cue Netflix. Amazon Prime. Instacart.

Research shows that sustainable change takes time. This often leaves us feeling confused when we want to get better or feel better right now.

As much as I wish, I can’t force my rubber ficus to grow faster or fill out quicker. It takes consistent watering, sunlight, nutrients and fresh air - the right conditions - for growth to occur. Too much of any single one of those elements could be stressful to the plant and stunt it’s progress.

In that same vein, our own personal and professional growth require similar elements and good conditions. Too much of one thing can be stressful or harmful.

So when you’re feeling frustrated with your results or think you aren’t “there” yet, give these exercises a try. I find them really helpful when I’m feeling stuck.

• Ask yourself - what do I need right now to support my growth? The answer might surprise you. It can be as simple as rest. Or quiet space. Or a hug or sunshine or a glass of water - the possibilities are endless. Small, simple shifts can help create the right conditions for creativity to flow or motivation to arise.

• Visual reminders help you the see gradual progress. Look through your photos or calendar from the last year. See where you were and who you were with in January. Then February. Then March, April and so on. With gradual growth, it’s often hard to see the progress on a daily basis but you’re not the same person you were yesterday. Or the day before that. Or even the day before that. You’ve come so far, my friend!

• Speak kindly to yourself. Research shows that talking to plants affects their environment and, ultimately, their growth. It’s a real thing. Try this fun experiment! How is your inner dialogue helping or hindering your current conditions for growth? Are you beating yourself up or breathing life into who you are becoming. I talk to myself with the same love and kindness I use when talking to my plants.

• Make a quarter turn. Ever notice how a plant grows toward the light? In order for my pothos to be full and truly flourish, I have to rotate it every so often. If your career is flourishing but your home life is lacking, make a small quarter turn. Maybe you’re getting too much of one element and stunting your progress overall. Seek the light in other areas of your life. A simple micro-adjustment can leave you feeling whole and complete rather than lacking or malnourished.

Like mine, your dreams may still need to be nourished before they bloom. And that’s okay. Remember, a lot has to happen behind the scenes or under the dirt in order for my rubber ficus to produce the new leaves I admire. 

When it doesn’t feel like you’re growing, it’s very possible that shifts are happening within the depths of your heart and mind to help create the conditions in which you’ll flourish.

Growth happens through gradual, consistent work. Keep nurturing your turtle steps, and you’ll get there.