Christine Envall The Growth Experiment Full Updated Extra Quality Page

I decided to conduct an experiment on myself, one that would challenge my assumptions about growth and self-improvement. For a period of six months, I would focus on being, rather than becoming. I would prioritize presence over productivity, and self-acceptance over self-improvement.

I also noticed that I was becoming more compassionate and kind, not just towards others, but towards myself. I was learning to accept my flaws and imperfections, rather than trying to change them.

As I bring this experiment to a close, I am left with a sense of wonder and awe. I have learned that growth and self-improvement are not ends in themselves, but rather means to an end. The end is not to become some idealized version of ourselves, but to simply be.

In a world where personal growth and self-improvement are often touted as the keys to success, it's easy to get caught up in the idea that we need to constantly strive for more. But what if the pursuit of growth and self-improvement has become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end? What if, in our quest for self-optimization, we've forgotten how to simply be?

As I embarked on my own growth journey, I began to question the assumptions that had been driving my pursuit of self-improvement. I realized that I had been operating under the notion that I was broken, that I needed to be fixed. But what if that's not true? What if, instead of trying to change who I am, I could learn to accept and love myself exactly as I am?

By Christine Envall