The roots that help us grow seek water and nourishment from whatever is closest and most readily available. But what if the pool from which your growth is drawing is contaminated and toxic?
Even if we become stunted in our growth, we still grow as an act of living, of reinforcing.
Don’t like getting called out? You’ll likely “grow” by forming a thicker bark against feedback.
Able to challenge assumptions and take constructive criticism? You’ll flourish through expanding.
The pool of fear is what nurtures stagnation, keeping you twisted and curled up, from speaking up about the new idea you have or against toxic leadership. It slowly poisons you over time, but you allow it to water you unfiltered because “it’s better than nothing, right?”
A scarcity mindset, whether based on finances or self-worth, acts as a dam that prevents the flow state you need to grow as a leader, as a person.
The pool of courage is what nurtures internal growth, which occurs long before the external growth that many of us focus on.
Courage allows you to stretch your roots and connect with your ecosystem, developing the symbiotic relationships needed to thrive.
Sometimes courage allows you to stretch yourself too much too quickly, and you snap and break.
But new growth returns.
Just like a seed has everything already inside that a tree needs to grow tall and strong, so do you.
What matters is the environment you plant yourself in, and how healthy the pool you draw nourishment from is.
If you are trying to figure out how to nourish yourself and grow, into an authentic leader and need someone to walk beside or guide you, book a free call.
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I love the symbolism and guidance with this post. I feel like the piece about growing too fast and spreading myself too thin was me last year. This year I'm more careful with my next steps. But even if we do make a mistake and grow too fast and break a branch, it will grow back. Love that.