4 ideas to activate growth
Each winter, I keep my eyes peeled for the inevitable inexpensive tickets to Europe in late winter/early spring. There is, of course, a reason why the tickets are inexpensive – it’s not the best time to be in Europe because the weather will usually be undesirable. But if you’ve already done the touristy things and want to go a level deeper, it’s a fantastic time to travel.
For example, I flew to London for less than the cost of a ticket to Chicago about a month before COVID shut everything down. I had a marvelous time going to museums and, in particular, the Churchill War Rooms where I spent several hours underground, having no idea of the torrential rain that was going on above.
I haven’t been off the rock, so to speak, since then so I was cautious and curious about potential deals. I saw a great deal to Berlin, so off I went. Yes, the weather was terrible (rained three of the four days I was there), but my goal was to wander a city with which I have some degree of familiarity but where I hadn’t tapped the local experience. I just wandered around, putting in about 25,000 steps per day, rain or shine, returning to my funky AirBnB in the former Easter Berlin in what was originally a convent. Bliss.
Why? Because it was a different type of stress. While I can read signs and understand basic conversations in German, it is uncomfortable for me to try to actually converse in German. As I wandered in new neighborhoods and through parks or museums (some of which only had materials in German), I was a bit overwhelmed by navigating and taking in all that is around me. But it engaged my brain in ways that the stress of e-mails can never do.
Why am I mentioning this? Because if we want to grow, we need to make changes. A change in perspective. A change in goals. A change in venue. Or myriad other changes because change is what fuels growth.
So if you want to grow, the best way to do that is to, well, get out. To challenge your mind and perspective and perhaps also your body. To open yourself to new experiences and insights and to allow ideas hiding in the back of your mind to collide with the others lurking there or spurred by what you experience.
Get outside.
Literally going outside has been proven to literally lower heart rate and blood pressure and reduce stress. Nature is magic. But it’s even more so if you’re willing to immerse yourself in it.
You don’t have to go to a national park to get the effect. There’s likely a park within walking distance of you. Hiking trails are even better. But take your whole mind with you. Don’t allow headphones and devices to steal your attention and rob you of the joy of presence. Sit on a park bench and watch or listen to the birds. Walk and see the trees or the squirrels scampering about. And listen only to the sounds of nature and the ideas and connections in your brain that will pop up if you let them. The more you combine physical movement with nature, the more you will experience. Don’t believe me? Try it.
Get out of your comfort zone.
We love to be comfortable. But comfort often breeds complacence. When we are too comfortable, we tend not to want to engage in the hard work that growth requires. But getting out of your comfort zone doesn’t have to be all that difficult.
My go-to for comfort zones is to get out of my home country and go someplace where my primary language, English, is not the dominant language. While I learned a lot during my museum visits in London, it wasn’t nearly as out of my comfort zone as being in Berlin. Maybe initially, you may need the, er, comfort of your spoken language, but getting comfortable with being uncomfortable is the biggest step towards the discomfort of growth.
Get out of your routine.
Like comfort, routines provide a sense of stability and predictability. That’s often good. But life is not predictable. If we don’t mix our routines up from time to time, we get in a rut and don’t identify opportunities to change our course and the very routines that provide the baseline for our performance degrade and keep us where we are. And that’s not growth. I am by no means suggesting throwing out routines, but, rather, to take a fresh look at them. For example, look at the elements in your routine. Are they aligned with your goals? Do they have to be performed in the same sequences or time? Play around with that. Are there other routines you may be able to introduce that are more aligned with your growth plans?
Get outside of technology.
Our brains are not wired for technology. When we tether ourselves to the notifications, it distracts us from people and tasks that are more important for our long-term growth and health. Take a break every now and then. Like taking off headphones when you’re out in nature. Putting your phone in a different room when you sleep so it is not the first or last thing you see/think about. Take control of what matters to you. If that does happen to be the validation or responses from other on social media, you may need to spend even more time getting out of your comfort zone. Opportunity for growth is waiting for you.
How will you get out to grow this week?