Over the winter break— in between the enjoyable madness of Christmas gift wrapping, cooking, baking with my son, and eating my wife’s indescribably amazing sugar cookies—I spent a lot of time in personal reflection. My family has just emerged from a series of personal crises and I needed to find a new sense of direction. As I prayed, meditated, and reflected on the challenges of the past year, one thought dominated my mind: 2024 would be a year of growth.

What is growth, exactly?

Believe it or not, the first known use of the word growth doesn’t happen until 1557 as per Merriam-Webster! While it traces back to the Old Norse groði (Etymology Online), a word specifying a stage in the process of growing is a relatively new concept in English.

Growth has a lot of powerful meanings that can set you up for a productive mindset in 2024. While there are a number of definitions, I’ve consolidated them into the following while reflecting on personal growth:

Growth is a stage in the process of growing; something that grows; a product of something that grows and anticipated development.

A stage in the process of growing

A writer’s journey is just that—a journey. There is no definitive beginning or end-point. I was crafting stories long before I wrote my first byline. The same is true for all of us, writers or not. Life is a journey that is punctuated by change. Last summer, I took my family to Iceland. I knew where I wanted to go and what the outcome of that trip should be. The plane ride, checking into our short-term rental etc. were all various stages in the journey—they weren’t the journey itself.

A healthy outlook for 2024 is to see it as a stage in who you are to become. Ask yourself: where do you want this journey of life to take you? Where do you want to be at December 31, 2024?

There will no doubt be a number of unexpected things that will happen this year. But visualizing everything within the parameters of your journey can help you maintain that healthy outlook.

Something that grows

Back in 6th grade biology, I learned that growth is one of the evidences of something being alive. As we grow, we show that we are still emotionally and spiritually alive. We all know that growth is hard. Plants pour their energy into it. Children get physically tired as their bodies go through growth spurts.

I’d argue that spiritual, emotional, and personal growth takes even more effort, especially as this kind of growth is often triggered by situations that are immensely painful and draining. But if growth is your goal then it’s worth it. So, don’t be discouraged by the toll that the journey of growth. It’s proof that you (your dream/goal) are still alive.

A product of something that grows

My wife has a fern in one of the bedrooms. It keeps sending out a solitary shoot toward the sunlight that streams in through the southern windows. I smile each time I see it because it reminds me that you can’t stop life. Or growth.

The truth is growth actually produces visible change.

In 2024, expect to see visible positive changes that come about as a result of your choices. It might be a change in work habits, communication, or fitness. For myself, I’m working on getting another novel to my agent as well as other publishing dreams. Keep motivated throughout the year and let the growth you do see (the small successes) propel you forward on your journey.

So, don’t be discouraged by the toll that the journey of growth. It’s proof that you (your dream/goal) are still alive.

JP Robinson

Anticipated development

If there’s one thing I learned in 2023, it’s that there are things beyond my control. I trust in the wisdom of Almighty God and believe He works through apparent chaos to accomplish an anticipated goal. We need to remain optimistic, anticipating growth all throughout the year.

In a business sense, growth entails anticipated development. A company may anticipate growing their product line or hiring new employees. We too should have anticipation or hope. Hope is what allows us to imagine a better tomorrow. It’s the innate building block of dreams that has fueled humanity since our beginning.

But anticipation should be balanced by acceptance.

It’s critical to place reasonable expectations on yourself. Ask: what can you control in this journey? What can’t you control? Hold yourself accountable to change what you can and accept that there are things you cannot. Your energy then will be best put toward making a positive difference where you can.

May 2024 be your year of growth.

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