In our fast-paced, productivity focused, and perfectionist society, it’s very easy to forget that no matter how old we are, we are all constantly learning and growing. We are all so focused on getting things done right the first time that we forget that life is a process. Also, because we just want things to be perfect right away, we forget to give ourselves room to grow.

While we do all finish physically growing at a certain age, our personal growth never ends. We are constantly growing and receiving new information. There are constant life changes and new dynamics presenting themselves. It’s easy to forget that even as adults we are always works in progress.

In order to continue becoming our own best versions of ourselves, we need to allow room for growth. We need to embrace imperfection, let mistakes happen sometimes, and learn to be okay with screwing things up. You can’t learn if you don’t take risks and if things are always going right! There is beauty in the mishaps of life, and there is so much to be gained from them as well.

When we give ourselves room to grow, we give ourselves the power to shine our inner light brighter. We give ourselves the chance to discover new likes and dislikes. We gain the opportunity to learn more about who we really are and what we really want to be.

When we constantly live in fear of messing up, we remain stagnant. If we never step out of our own comfort zones, we will never experience anything different than what we have day in and day out, and to be honest, that’s pretty boring! Taking risks can be scary, but 10 times out of 10 the experience will be rewarding on some level because even when you fail there is information to be gained.

For example, in my first three semesters of college, I rarely, if ever, participated in class discussions because I felt that what I had to say either wouldn’t be right, or wouldn’t be valued. However, this past week, I decided to push myself to raise my hand during a class discussion in my Sociology class. The professor called on me, and once I spoke, he agreed with me and it sparked even more discussion. If I had let my anxiety once again hold me back from participating, I would have missed out on the valuable opportunity to share my thoughts with my class and professor.

By affording ourselves the space to grow, we can become better friends, family members, parents, teachers, workers, spouses, and just better people in general. By allowing ourselves to flourish instead of stifling our growth, we allow the world to benefit from our true greatness that has been waiting to come out.

So, today I challenge you to start allowing yourself to grow. Sit down and just think about who you are, and where you want to be. Find appreciation for the space in between and for what it can teach you. Embrace the stumbles that inevitably will happen along the way, and don’t let the fear of imperfection stop you from trying something new or different. You are capable of achieving whatever you dream if you just allow yourself the room to grow towards it.