“If you’re serious about changing your life, you’ll find a way. If you’re not, you’ll find an excuse.” – Jen Sincero

It’s a new year, a fresh start, and a clean slate. There was a one in 400 trillion chance for you to be born. Isn’t that incredible? What will you do with your chance, your life? It’s exciting to think about, especially at the start of a new year. 

As humans, we’re constantly growing. Growth can show up in different forms. You can choose to accept a new challenge or avoid it. If you avoid the growth, it eventually shows up again, sometimes in a different setting. 

Below are three ways to recognize when it’s time to grow.

Repeating patterns

For years I had a pattern of working with people who held me back and didn’t value my contribution; it was painful. At one point I thought I had grown through the pattern but it showed up again at my next position.

When you see a repeating pattern in your life, it means there is an area for you to grow in. It could be in a multitude of areas – perhaps you need to learn how to have difficult conversations or, perhaps, you’re not showing up authentically. In my case, I needed to learn how to value myself and what I have to offer. Once I grew in this way, my world of possibility and opportunity opened up for the better and this pattern disappeared.

Feeling stuck or bored

Feeling stuck or bored can mean you’ve mastered what you’re doing and need a new challenge. It can also mean that you’re comfortable in your current situation and are afraid to try something new for fear it will be worse. 

If you’re in this space, consider having conversations with people who are doing what you’d like to be doing. These conversations will give you insight into their experience. The true growth happens when you take action and having conversations is a great place to start. 

Starting new things that align with where you want to go, or where you think you want to go, will help in this situation as well. For example, if you are interested in going into a client-facing role with more in-person presentations, taking an improv class could help open your mind to new ways of thinking and expansion.

Life delivers it

Miraculous things can happen in life and so can really hard things. Life may deliver a surprise growth opportunity – like a layoff or job loss. 

Often times, this is life gifting you an opportunity to grow in a different way. It is far from easy and can be challenging to navigate. I know the raw feeling of job loss and a layoff (I’ve been through both). It can be scary and it isn’t always clear why it happened. Counselors, coaches, and people who want to support you in your growth are good resources in this type of scenario. 

This type of growth can also happen when you avoid the challenge of self-growth. If you stay in a role because it’s comfortable and you know what to expect but you avoid innovation or self-growth, life delivers. 

The beginning of a new year is an excellent time to reflect and discover new ways you want to grow. I wish you the very best on your journey.