Have you ever said, “I don’t have time for personal growth and healing?”
Personal growth and healing from tough stuff can seem time consuming and daunting. Maybe you’re working two jobs. Maybe you have little kids at home who you need your attention.
Yet you know you have stuff to fix in your head and your heart, so you can continue building the life you want. You know you need to do some healing from tough stuff and growing, but you don’t know how to begin, and you are unsure if you have even have the time.
Before you throw your arms up and declare that all of that healing and personal growth will have to come later when you have more time in the future, hear me out.
You can find 30 minutes per day to give to it. Everyone can find 30 minutes, even if it means waking up a little earlier.
Sometimes, the most powerful, life-changing things don’t take much time at all. Someone once suggested that I tape a photo of little-kid me to my bathroom mirror as a reminder of what I deserve as a grown up. I laughed it off but reluctantly did it. Surprisingly, it changed my life! It sparked inspiration to do the things I dreamed of doing when I was a little girl such as writing. That inner-child stuff is mondo powerful.
1. Journal for 3 minutes.
Get a notepad and place it beside your bed. No need for a fancy one. A simple one from the dollar-store will do. What are you grateful for today? Even in the worst of times, you have things to be grateful for. Ya do. Just jot them down. Also, what did you think about today that connects to past experiences? It is healthy to think about that tough stuff and recognize how it affects you today. Jot those things down, too. It will help you identify and prioritize things areas of focus.
For years, I put off journaling as an adult because I felt like I needed giant blocks of time to write and it all just seemed like a big giant suck of time that I didn’t have, especially during the chaotic periods of my life. All you need a pen, paper and three minutes. Don’t worry about perfection or full sentences. Just write. Weeks later, you’ll read through those words and you’ll discover lots of things about yourself!
2. Meditate, sit outside, or walk for 10 minutes.
There’s no right way to meditate. Just take deep breaths and sit in quietness or download one of those free apps or search meditation on YouTube and just listen to your breathing.
Or, just sit outside. Without looking at your phone. Just listen to birds or whatever the soundtrack is where you live. Or, take a walk. If you can’t walk outside, search “Leslie Sansone” and follow one of her walk-at-home videos.
3. Read an inspiring book or listen to an audio book or podcast about a personal growth area that interests you most for 15 minutes. Schedule it and do it.
In those 15-minute chunks, odds are high that you will catch something that shapes your perspective in a good way and leads to wiser decision making, one day at a time.
Will these things really make a difference in your life? Yes, for the same reason fitness gurus advise that if you want to run a marathon, but you’re currently a couch potato, just start by walking for 5 minutes.
Prioritizing your personal growth and healing, even in just 30 minutes per day, will lead to discovery of the next steps for your own journey. With just 30 minutes per day, you’re investing 3.5 hours per week in YOU. The more you invest, you’ll find there’s more available time than you thought you had, and you’ll be on your healing journey without even realizing it.
Remember, your only job in life is to take good care of you.
Wishing you well.
New here? Hello! I’m Jody Lamb, a personal growth author and blogger. If it helps you create the life you want, I’m writing about it. I’m an adult child of an alcoholic; I’m healing and enjoying the life I want! Get my book for free here. Subscribe for free access to my monthly newsletter: