A reflection on personal growth

Personal growth is a continuous process in a person’s life and it can pave the way to increased success, happiness and maturity. You might make a bold step outside your comfort zone, perhaps running to be the president of a large society, but small changes can be equally significant in helping a person grow. Why not try being kind to someone else? Little acts of kindness can shape you into a better person.

Increased motivation and focus is one of the most important steps towards personal growth. As students, especially during the exam period, most of us long for a sudden surge in focus. To find that much-needed motivation, ask yourself what it is that you want to achieve. Consider your aims and set goals and targets. Focus and motivation are required in order to stay on track, meet your targets and overcome challenges. Noticing your achievements, and realising that working hard comes with its rewards, can work wonders for your morale and confidence. Realise that you will face difficulties. Whilst you might get distracted, maintaining motivation will help you achieve your goals in the long term.

It is only through trying new things, and pushing ourselves to face new challenges, that we can develop and grow

Throughout my time at university, I have grown a lot as a person. Before university, I was incredibly socially awkward. Whilst others seemed excited about the independence that university brings, I feared leaving the comforts of home. However, living away from home, cooking for myself and being responsible for my own wellbeing has helped me become a much more independent person. University is a big change, but these changes have been the building blocks in shaping a great university experience.

I’ve volunteered overseas in India, and I am currently part of the Warwick Student Union Welfare Executive Committee. These experiences, amongst others, have boosted my social skills and helped me overcome my awkwardness. Experiences like these expand our comfort zones and encourage us to adapt to different situations. It is only through trying new things, and pushing ourselves to face new challenges, that we can develop and grow.

However, I would be the first to admit that I still have a lot to work on. There is no end to personal development – there is always room for improvement.

We need to make mistakes to learn, and we all grow in different ways

It is also worth mentioning that there is no set path towards personal growth. Personal growth is an extremely broad term, and it is impossible to find two people that have followed the exact same routes in life. For me, I feel my recent personal development has been predominantly due to me building my social skills and expanding my comfort zone. Someone else might take different steps down a different path. That’s fine.

Unfortunately, life sometimes gets in the way and we have setbacks. A traumatic experience might mean that someone needs to take some time out to recover mentally before they go out and face the world’s many challenges. Circumstances mean that we won’t always be making steps towards bettering ourselves. This isn’t necessarily a problem. We need to make mistakes to learn, and we all grow in different ways.

It’s fantastic to have big dreams. Never limit your goals, but it’s fair to be realistic. You can’t make grand changes overnight. If you’ve never managed a thirty-minute run, you can’t expect to complete a marathon tomorrow.

Understand that mistakes are inevitable, and don’t beat yourself up about them. Instead, learn from your mistakes. If you never make a mistake, you can never grow. You will face challenges, but making those small steps towards bettering yourself will be incredibly satisfying and fulfilling in the long term. Good luck!