Sunlight, Water, Nutrients

It’s been a while since I’ve written a blog. I guess I took a hiatus from blogging during the summer to relax and recuperate from the stress of law school but I’m back…in law school and unfortunately the stress will begin again. If you’re wondering why I blog I would say that it’s my means of expressing myself while motivating myself as well as others. It may seem like I’m encouraging others but I’m also encouraging myself in the process.

During my hiatus from blogging I discovered a lot about myself and I can truly say that in that short period of time I have grown as a person which leads me to what I would like to focus on in this blog, growth; growth never stops.

Growth is a natural process of life, from the stage of infancy to that dreaded stage of adulthood. It’s imperative to understand that things may not always go the way we planned and even if we mess up or make a wrong turn we must be willing to work hard and learn from our mistakes and grow.

Let us assess the growth of a plant, it begins as a seed and then with water, sunlight and basic nutrients it begins to grow. It is beautiful to see the various stages of a plant as growth takes place, moving from being a seed, to having a small shoot to leaves beginning to grow from the stem and the gradual increase in the size of the plant.

Our lives can be compared to that of a plant which continues to grow. The different stages may take place at different times in all of our live but what’s most important is that we continue to grow. Let us assess the things needed for plants to grow, water, nutrients and sunlight

Water: We all need water in our lives, not just to cool us down and keep us hydrated but also to assist in our growth. In this context, I would consider water to be knowledge. Just as water is a pertinent part of the growth of a plant knowledge is a pertinent part of our growth. By increasing our knowledge daily we grow as people. We are all team players in this game called life here on earth. Educating ourselves is so important, not just in school academically but also out of school. We cannot learn everything in the classroom. Thus, it is important for us to follow the news, read books and find something that interests us and read about it and if it is really important to you, find out how you can assist in this particular area. Knowledge is so important for growth because if we don;t know anything we will end up believing anything. Know the facts for yourself and constantly try to improve yourself by trying to read something of interest daily and becoming commercially aware.

Nutrients: I am going to step on my own toes and say that our health is very important. Making a 360 degree turn in your health is impossible (kudos to those who have). It is important to make small steps toward improving our health…Baby steps Jemma, baby steps. I for one do not have the best diet but small changes to our diet can go a long way such as substituting chips for fruits (I’m still working on this). While our diet is important, exercise is important. I’ll be honest, I am lazy when it comes to exercising. When I first came to the U.K. and I saw the long distances I had to walk to get from point A to point B I would question if I really needed to go to these places. I remember being out of breath after walking for 5 minutes (Don’t laugh at me lol). However, now I see the importance of exercise and I don’t get out of breath as quickly (I still sometimes feel out of breath though). The more you do something, the better you become at it. Some people go to the gym and work out while others feel like walking is enough exercise (I fall in the latter category). It is imperative that we take care of our health if we truly want to grow.

Sunlight: I believe sunlight is the most important element that assists a plant in growing. What keeps you going? Is it your relationship with God, your family and friends, your love for a particular activity? Whatever it may be, never let go of it if it is positively impacting your life. Knowledge is important but it is also important for us to stay sane and be happy. Many people die because they are not truly happy. Find what makes you happy and never let go of it. Happiness will play a positive role in your mental health. It is important to have someone or something to turn to after you’ve had a bad day or feel stressed and overworked. It will be hard to grow if you are not taking care of your mental health. Increasing your knowledge is great but it is important to take time for yourself and do something that will uplift your spirits and make you feel truly happy.

It is important for us to remember that we are all a work in progress. We are not going to become a large palm tree over night but we must appreciate each stage of our growth and take time to enjoy it. We must constantly be on a journey of self-improvement.

Even when you think you have achieved your goal, don’t stop growing! Set another goal and achieve that one as well. There may be some opportunities in life that you may be scared to take because it will make you uncomfortable but that is when you will grow even more! Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself! You can do anything you want to do but remember to never stop growing!