Have you ever wondered… about oubaitori? I have. This Japanese word represents the idea that we all grow and blossom at our own rate and time. Flowers are not all in sync. There is no one-size-fits-all, cookie cutter style to living life. We each learn and develop individually. All of it is beautiful. Fast. Slow. Early. Late. It all works well. It is productive growth at the end of the day, even if your growth looks different than that of all those around you. Focus on growing your lane. Do not inhibit others from growing theirs. Watch the beauty bloom. Take delight in the sight of all the growing wonder.
In the middle of the night, things well up from the past that are not always cause for rejoicing — the unsolved, the painful encounters, the mistakes, the reasons for shame or woe. But all, good or bad, give me food for thought, food to grow on.
-May Sarton
We nurture the nutrients. The fruit is a byproduct of the work we put in. Growth can be difficult to grapple with because it frequently invites more change. Adjusting, replacing, or upgrading an old habit. Setting an effective boundary. Increasing mindfulness. Steps outside of comfort into yet more unknown. If it is a comfort zone, though, then it can be expanded. There are limits and ranges to it that can be flexed wider over time. We can extrapolate excitement, planning what our goals and next steps are for healthier, wiser growth. We can begin to judge ourselves less and understand our inner workings more.
Through judging, we separate.
-Doe Zantamata
Through understanding, we grow.
Who knows what the end goal is or even will be. We have here and now to keep on growing towards that or another direction. What steps are you taking today to grow? Surrounding us, we witness so much growth in nature and technological innovations. Especially in this day and age, we have so many possibilities for improving ourselves.
Set aside a fixed amount of time to learn something each day. Within fifteen to twenty minutes, you can listen to most guided meditations or book summaries. You can read a news article or two. Study another language1. The options abound. Perhaps best early in the morning or at a fixed time not too close to bedtime, set a timer for that short span of time (15-20 minutes), then set yourself to a bit of growth. Congratulate yourself after :)
You only struggle because you’re ready to grow but aren’t willing to let go.
-Drew Gerald
What can you let go of today?
Can you stop taking yourself so seriously?
Are you dragging along emotional baggage, letting it trail behind you in your lane?
Has it done you any good yet? Might it be time to let it go?
Are you resisting the forward momentum in your lane?
Can you stop dragging your feet along?
There is no true need to feel bad about any of this exercise. Reflecting and realizing where growth can now happen is a righteous responsibility. Be proud of recognizing areas for improvement, and please feel free to laugh at any past silliness in hindsight.
You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself.
-Ethel Barrymore
Oubaitori reminds us to remember our reasons for being.
What roots feed us, and what fruits do we grow?
It is not a race, and it does not need to be a comparison.
What if we helped each other? How much more growth can we all see?
That last thought fills me with lots of glee. Oubaitori.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.
- I forgot to mention two days ago that Dikembe Mutombo excelled in personal growth at spoken languages. It is reported that he knew up to nine languages! ↩︎