You know how much you change over the course of high school or college? You go through a lot of life experiences and you learn a lot from these and your different classes. But you don’t have to stop growing as a person once you leave college, and it’s important that you keep growing. The world doesn’t stop changing, and you have no idea what your life might bring you. If you keep growing as a person, you’ll be able to deal with these changes.
Before I get into this, I want to say that I know that I’m not perfect, but I’d like to think that I’m aware of where I need to grow. These are the things that I do to keep moving forward.
One key thing you can do is to keep learning. Just because you’re not in the classroom anymore doesn’t mean that you know everything there is to know. Plus, our knowledge of the world around us changes. New information is constantly coming out about almost everything. Find some area that really interests you so that you’re not learning for learning’s sake. You want to enjoy it! That’s what makes you want to learn more. Some ways you can keep learning are by reading, visiting museums, and listening to podcasts.
Another way that you can keep growing as a person is to hear viewpoints other than your own. Now, I want to make it clear that I don’t mean you should give racists the same about of weight that you’d give someone who thinks that no one should be persecuted for the color of their skin. I’m talking about listening to someone who believes in small government if you believe in large government. You don’t have to change your mind; just listen to what they have to say. Really listen and don’t tune them out while you internally chant “You’re wrong and I’m right.”
Somewhat along this idea, you should know what’s going on in the world and be mindful of Fake News™️. The world is so much more than your little bubble or even the bubble your bubble is in. What happens beyond your bubble can affect your bubble, but you should also care about the rest of the world and what happens in it. The world itself is so much bigger than we can ever imagine, and it’s filled with people who are like you in so many ways and different in many others. Additionally, you should be sure that the information you’re getting is true and isn’t Fake. FactCheck.Org has a great post on how to tell if something is Fake News™️. If you’re looking for a great way to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the world from a reliable source, consider signing up for a daily newsletter like The Skimm, which sends emails Monday-Friday on what’s happening in the US and the world.
Another thing you can do to keep growing is to learn how to examine your own actions as objectively as possible. This isn’t easy by a long-shot (unless you have an anxiety disorder in which case maybe it’s time to reduce examining your own actions), but I think that it’s the most important. Figure out where you’ve messed up and vow to do better in the future – and then actually do better instead of just promising to do so. I think that this is something that you can do no matter your age or how long ago the actions you’re examining are. In fact, your 20s seem to be the best time to objectively look at your behavior in high school and college because you’ve (hopefully) matured enough to do so.
Finally, you should get help if you need it. This can mean a couple of different things. One is that you should see a mental health professional if you’re having a hard time, even if you’re not sure if you have a mental illness. Having an objective professional help you work through your life can make a big difference, even more so if you or someone in your family has a history of mental illness. Another way you can interpret this is to get help with growing as a person if you don’t think that you are. You might ask friends for recommendations of books that changed the way they viewed the world or follow different online newspapers on social media. There are so many ways to get help to grow as a person because there are so many things you can do to keep growing. Don’t get in your own way.
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Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.
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