I remember a conversation with my daughter several years ago about the connection between who you surround yourself with and your personal growth. As she navigated her passion for soccer and her desire to continue to develop her skills in hopes of one day playing collegiate soccer, she was faced with some difficult decisions.  She could continue playing for the club she created several memories with or she could push herself outside of her comfort zone. Switching clubs as a middle school athlete is not an easy task; friendships and team culture are established and proving yourself all over again is inevitable. As humans, we are resilient creatures!  

Fast forward about eleven years— she completed her final season as a collegiate women’s soccer player this past fall and in less than two months she will graduate.

While those difficult decisions surrounded soccer, I do believe they contributed in developing other life skills such as grit, conflict resolution, advocacy and overcoming adversity. She is the person she is today not only because of the decisions she made but also because of the people she surrounded herself with. Finding her tribe at each stop along the way helped her develop far more than how to best play the game, she learned how to be a lifelong learner. 

As teachers, we make difficult decisions daily. In trying always to do what’s best for our students, we fail to take the time to make decisions based on what’s best for our own growth. It’s no secret that as teachers, we experience many ebbs and flows within our careers; consequently, we often stunt our own growth.

Much like switching clubs in pursuit of skill development, teaching has its similarities.

I’ve always felt the need to surround myself with people who inspire and bring out a curiosity that drives me to want to learn and be better.  As I once told my daughter, you never want to stay in a place where you feel stuck or are the best. Growth comes when you have others to learn from—even if that means you have to start all over again. Growth comes from a state of vulnerability and uncomfortable places where insecurities are exposed. Following my own advice, I’ve made decisions that have allowed me to grow as a person.  

When you allow yourself to be uncomfortable, it’s amazing the clarity that will occur. Look for the marigolds!  They are your people. You’ll recognize them right away. They’ll share your passion and inspire you. They will be authentic. They will tell you what you need to hear NOT what you want to hear. They will both challenge and advocate for you. They will push you to be uncomfortable. They will be there to celebrate your victories. THEY will help you GROW!  They are your tribe.

If you feel stuck, challenge yourself to reflect. Find your niche, your passion and tribe will follow. You only need one person to believe in you.

This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here. Please do follow each of the outstanding contributors on social media (including Cindie Cortinas-Vogt, the author of this post) and consider writing a microblog post of your own to be shared with the global audience of slowchathealth.com

Pair this blog post with the following:

Start With Why by Simon Sinek

The Joy of Movement by Kelly McGonigal

Have you read the latest Book of the Month recommendation?