How to Evolve, Graciously

Last week, I talked about how to give yourself permission to struggle (evolve). In this post, I share what I think of as the most important element to our personal growth.   Acknowledging the difficulty of evolution is the perfect place to begin. Recognizing the sheer challenge of our own evolution gives us permission to struggle. Sounds crazy—who wants permission to struggle? You do, that's who. Difficulty can never be used to mold you into a stronger, more authentic, version of yourself if you never experience it.   When we welcome such difficulties, we train ourselves to hold the space for our own evolution to occur on the inside—the only place real change happens. What we see on the outside is a reflection of what we've accomplished on the inside. Our reaction to others acceptance, or lack thereof, cues us into our progress and perhaps our opportunity.   Such an intimate experience with our own evolution gives us the insight and compassion to hold the space for others to evolve. The greatest friendships are made from the depth of conversations and struggle inherent in such change. It's rarely an easy process for either person, and yet both people come out stronger because of it.   Whether you opt for new friends and colleagues, or test out your current ones, remember the difficulty inherent in evolution is worth it. The value of such growth is at the source of life.    Here's to Your Greatness,   Misti Burmeister   NEW! You can now gain easy access to discovering your blind spots and the solutions to your greatest leadership challenges through a Gearing for Greatness session. Check it out: http://mistiburmeister.com/gearingforgreatness/   P.S. For instant access to interviews, and to get your 3 Practical Tips for Building a Motivated Team, click here, type in your email address where it says "Subscribe", and press "Submit."