By Wellbeing Psychologist and Nature Therapist Amy Steadman
Growth rarely looks how we imagine it. It’s not loud or dramatic and it doesn’t always come with milestones or recognition. Often, it’s invisible - a slow shift beneath the surface, like roots deepening in the soil before a single leaf appears. But just because we can’t always see it doesn’t mean it’s not happening.
Nature shows us this every day. Trees grow in stillness. Seeds sprout in darkness. Nothing in nature forces its blooming - it happens in its own time, with patience, trust, and the right conditions. The same is true for us.
BEING IN PROCESS: Trusting the Unseen
In a world obsessed with outcomes, it’s easy to mistake stillness for stagnation. But real growth asks us to be in process - to trust that change is happening, even if it doesn’t feel like it yet.
This means letting go of perfection, and allowing space for experimentation, failure, and new perspectives. Growth isn’t a finish line; it’s a relationship we build with ourselves, step by step.
THE GROWTH MINDSET: 6 PATHWAYS TO CHANGE
Psychologists have long spoken about the power of a growth mindset - the belief that our abilities, qualities, and patterns can evolve with time and effort. Here are six guiding principles to help you grow from the inside out:
1) Be Curious
Growth begins with curiosity. Ask questions. Follow what feels interesting. Stay open to possibility, even when you don’t have the answers yet.
2) Try Stuff
Don’t wait to feel “ready.” Experiment. Try, fail, learn, repeat. We learn by doing, not by overthinking.
3) Reframe Problems
Challenges are part of growth, not signs you’re getting it wrong. Try asking: What is this here to teach me? Reframing struggle as opportunity can transform the journey.
4) Know It’s A Process
Growth is rarely linear. There will be setbacks, pauses, and plateaus. Keep going. Like seasons in nature, every phase has its place.
5) Ask For Help
Support is part of strength. Whether it’s a friend, colleague, mentor, coach or therapist, let others walk alongside you. We’re not meant to grow alone.
6) Tell Your Story
How we speak to ourselves - and about ourselves - shapes who we become. Reclaim your narrative. Share your truth. Let your story be one of possibility, not limitation.
GETTING UNCOMFORTABLE: The Leap Beyond Limits
Real growth almost always involves leaving your comfort zone. Personal growth expert Tara Mohr calls this “leaping,” making bold moves before you feel completely “ready.”
You don’t need to wait for confidence to arrive. Action builds confidence. It requires your brain. Thanks to neuroplasticity, every time you try something new, you’re strengthening the pathway that supports change, courage and resilience. Think of it like a new path in the woods. The more you walk it, the clearer it becomes.
LIMITING BELIEFS: The Weeds In The Garden
We all carry stories about ourselves - “I’m not creative,” “I always mess things up,” “I could never do that.” These are limiting beliefs, and they grow quietly in the background until we start to question them.
Start by noticing them. Then gently try to challenge them.
Ask: “Is this true? Or just something I’ve been taught to believe?”
Growth begins when we create space for new beliefs to take root.
YOUR GROWTH JOURNAL
Here are a few reflective prompts to explore your own journey of growth:
- What’s something I’ve learned recently - about myself, or the world?
- What small step am I avoiding because it feels unfamiliar?
- What belief am I ready to outgrow?
- Where in my life do I feel quietly proud - even if no one else sees it?
- How can I celebrate being in process, rather than rushing the outcome?
YOU ARE ALWAYS GROWING
You don’t have to bloom overnight. You don’t need to have it all figured out. Growth is not about fixing yourself - it’s about meeting yourself with compassion, and making space for what’s possible.
Whether you’re shedding old beliefs, trying something new, or simply learning to rest, every part of your journey counts.
Nature reminds us: even in stillness, life is moving. So are you.
