The Unstoppable Power of Self-Growth: Why letting yourself go may be better than you thought.

Realising that from discomfort comes growth, is one of the most powerful things you can teach yourself.

The concept of self- growth can come in many different forms, whether this be continually wanting to improve yourself each day, or even recovering from past experiences and healing deeply ingrained self-worth doubts.

Perception is a powerful thing.

I never realised how powerful self-awareness could be. I thought I had achieved optimum self-growth until I put myself first and now, I see life in a way that I have never thought possible. I went from feeling an immense loss of control over almost every single aspect of my life, to feeling content with knowing that I can’t control everything – and accepting that that’s just life. This realisation is what made me prioritise self- growth and focus on the things in my control, rather than unfortunate turns of life that often you have no responsibility over.

Pushing through negative self-talk is never easy, but it's easier in the long run than feeling trapped in your own reality.

Anything worth having, you often need to fight for, as difficult as this is. For me, this was a mind free of constraints and constant doubt surrounding every tiny detail of my life. Maybe I'm not where I want to be, but now I wake up every morning with the appreciation that I get the chance to transform my life and work on continually becoming a better version of myself.

Acquiring emotional intelligence is not something that everyone works towards, but once you strive for it - I can bet that almost every aspect of your life will start to improve.

The most painful experiences are the ones that will shape you into the person you were always meant to be. If you are living a life that you feel is not worth living, you are at the optimum point to start making a change. And no, I'm not just talking about starting mediation or going to yoga once a week.

Wanting to get better, whether this be internal struggles or external circumstances is such a powerful l realisation which you may not even appreciate until years later. I didn’t. You have the capability of reclaiming your life through letting go of everything that is no longer improving your life, removing anything that is holding you back from becoming the best version of yourself, with the promise of a better quality of life. Start putting your time into things that benefit you, rather than drain you; even if this means distancing yourself from people that have been present in your life for years. You are finally getting a hold of something that has affected you for years, you may even become unrecognisable to those closest to you.

“There’s only one part of the Universe we can all be certain about improving, and that’s ourselves.” - Caitlyn Roux.

Fearing what other people will think and how they will react is completely normal but is only keeping you trapped in the cycle of procrastination and low self-worth. Breaking through this will not only transform your own perspective of life, but almost everything you chose to do going forward.

3 tips on how to start reclaiming your life.

·Put yourself first, prioritising working on yourself and agree to commit to yourself. You are the only person who will never let you down. We are told that putting yourself first is selfish but putting yourself first will not only improve the help you give to others but assist you in discovering what you truly want out of life. Sometimes you need to be selfish, it is one of the best things you can do to help yourself. ·Find your why. Your why will go deeper than wanting to look a certain way or attract a certain person into your life, your why will distinguish the difference between motivation and determination. Your why is what will keep you going when all you want to do is give up. Knowing your purpose is at the core of change.

·Become aware of your thoughts, behaviours, and reactions. Realise what is benefiting you and what is no longer adding value to your life, this may even be actions within your own life. More significantly, the people you surround yourself with, influence your growth enormously – affecting your beliefs and actions within your day-to-day life. Letting go is often the hardest, but most beneficial thing you can do to find the person you were always meant to be.

Growth is painful, but it can also be an incredibly beautiful thing. Realising that you have grown from past mistakes holds so much power, acknowledging that your perspective has changed will hold more significance than you will ever realise.

first integrated small changes into my life through identifying my good and bad habits, asking myself what is benefiting my life in the long run, versus the short run, and coming to terms with habits that are no longer serving any benefit to my life.

I guess we never realise how important it is to love ourselves, until we reach a point where we are about to lose ourselves. That is the power of acceptance.

A couple more tips to start integrating into your daily routine - Podcasts. I only discovered them in lockdown and now I can't see myself ever going a day without listening to one. I listen to my favourite celebrities as well as numerous self-help podcasts focused mainly on anxiety and mindfulness. For me, it’s a form of escapism. There is also something incredibly relaxing about listening to a podcast whilst walking (my favourite thing to do when I feel like I need space).

Reading. Self-explanatory but whether it be novels or again, self- help books, I find it so helpful as another form of escapism or simply educating myself and widening my knowledge, these two combined have honestly been life-changing for me.Affirmations, gratitude's and journaling. I feel like these are typically some of the expected things when you are feeling low that you know are going to lift your mood, even if this is a small change. Writing down even 3 things that you are grateful for each day may help you see a different perspective and begin to appreciate the things you do have, rather than the things you don’t.

Stop procrastinating and start growing.

There is no greater pleasure than being truly content with your life – feeling alive, wanting to live and experience things. Imagine seeing the person you could have been against the person you are, just because you didn’t work on yourself now. Don’t let it be a regret that’s too late to change. Let go of the things out of your control. Focus on the things you can control, such as your beliefs, attitudes and how kind you are to others around you. You will notice that immediately the battle you are fighting with yourself will become more manageable; quicker than you ever imagined.

Decide today to start prioritising you, I doubt you will ever look back. It’s in your hands to change your future.

Written by Rosie Marsh

Photography by Georgia Abbey