So a few weeks ago, I went scrolling.

Not on social media (although let's be real, I did that too). This time I went back waaaaaay back into my archives of articles I've written since being a "creator" on the internet. And y'all... it's a funny thing, because I looked back at the very first article on my website and I learned some things.

From my past self!

So I figured I'd share some of the key observations (and of course, I'll link the full article down below)...

Almost three years ago exactly, past Samantha wrote:

"Personal growth is investing in your future happiness. And just like investing in the financial sense, this work compounds over time. Every piece of work we do to understand our mind, have a healthier relationship with ourselves and others and improve our natural impulses and instincts is work that may feel like small steps forward today but are building our habits for the future."

I start with this excerpt because I think a lot of "personal growth" is characterized in glow-ups and workout routines; revamping apartments and wardrobes; or entering into healthy relationships. Emphasis on the destination.

When in fact, just in the term itself "personal growth," we're talking about being in the process of changing. It's not about being something different, it's about investing (note the ACTIVE tense) in our future self. It's describing an ACTION, not an achievement.

I certainly needed this reminder today. You're not a failure in your "personal growth journey" if you still feel like a work in progress. Because if you are growing you are always at any given moment living out a past goal and working towards a future one. Because there will never be a final destination where we're completely satisfied, we have to find satisfaction in the progress already made and in the desire to continue to grow.

Some spark notes of other observations from the original article that might help you today:

• The real type of growth - sustainable and long-lasting - can't be forced or obligated on to you. It is something we have to decide to do on our own and it is also very much an individual journey.
• You cannot grow without loss. To become a different version of yourself, you're going to have to let something go - the bad habits, the comfort zone, the people in your life who like the people pleaser/pushover version of you. It's inevitable.
• Discomfort or resistance isn't a sign you're doing something wrong, it's a sign that you're on the right track - if it feels comfortable, you're probably not changing that much. It's helped me to notice the times I'm resisting something as a good sign rather than a signal to stop.
• We grow by doing, not by consuming. So simple but bears repeating. Watching 30 workout videos will never be as useful as one 45 minute walk or 30 minutes at the gym. Action not consumption.

Want to check out the full article? Head here.

Samantha