Growth vs. Presence: Finding Balance on Your Wellness Journey
In September, I took a long trip overseas to see my family back home. Since returning to Australia, I’ve noticed that I’ve completely fallen out of my routine. I didn’t go back to Pilates classes, I stopped listening to inspirational podcasts, and I even stopped journaling for nearly two months—very unlike me.
Yesterday, I finally picked up my journal again, put on my thinking cap, and reflected on what was happening. Here’s what I discovered:
I’ve always been a believer in making time for personal growth, but I also want to allow myself to be fully present. Sometimes, these two things cannot coexist.
The Season of Growth
Before I went overseas, I spent a lot of energy and effort on my personal growth, which led to many changes in my life. The biggest was my decision to leave my 9-to-5 office job to pursue my passion for yoga teaching. That decision came after lots of internal work, journal sessions, deep conversations with loved ones, and finding the inner strength to take the leap without knowing what would happen.
During this period, I was all in. My mornings started with journaling and no phone, just connecting to myself. My evenings were filled with visualization exercises and planning sessions. I listened to podcasts during my commute, read personal development books before bed, and stayed committed to my workouts. I was actively pursuing growth, and it felt amazing.
Because I invested so much time in my personal growth, I reached a place in life where so many things felt new, and I needed time to adjust and be present within this new reality. All the tools I typically reach for felt like they were taking up too much of my attention to truly appreciate the new path I was walking on. They brought me into the future or past, rather than the present moment.
When Growth Tools Take You Away From the Present
Here’s something I’ve come to understand: while I strongly believe in the power of tools like journaling, reflecting, and visualization, they can sometimes take you out of the present moment and bring you into the past or future instead.
Think about it:
- Journaling often has us processing the past or planning for the future
- Visualization pulls us into imagined scenarios that haven’t happened yet
- Goal-setting keeps our focus on where we want to be, rather than where we are
- Reflection has us analyzing what was, instead of experiencing what is
These tools are incredibly powerful. They’ve transformed my life in countless ways. But there’s a tension here: sometimes the very practices that help us grow can prevent us from fully experiencing the life we’ve created through that growth.
The Season of Presence
It was during my trip overseas that the realization hit me. I was more present in those moments, truly connecting with my family and friends, living in the experience rather than analyzing it. I wasn’t thinking about my goals or reflecting on my progress. I was just there, and it felt right.
When I returned home, I knew I wanted to keep that feeling. So I made a conscious choice: I stopped journaling. I stopped reflecting and just allowed myself to be present.
I let my body adjust to the physicality of my new job, the feeling of moving through yoga sequences, the energy of holding space for students, the rhythm of a completely different kind of day. I paid attention to the sensations in my body during classes. I listened to the subtle shifts in my energy levels throughout the week.
It’s been a great way to settle back into being home. Without the constant pull to analyze, improve, or plan, I could simply be in my new reality. I could feel into whether this new path truly felt right, not just intellectually, but in my bones.
The Dance Between Growth and Presence
Here’s what I’ve learned: we need both seasons.
We need seasons of active growth, when we’re pushing ourselves, trying new things, building habits, and reaching for our edge. These are the times when journaling, goal-setting, and reflection serve us beautifully. They help us clarify what we want, process our experiences, and build momentum toward change.
But we also need seasons of presence, when we pause the active pursuit of growth and simply inhabit the life we’ve created. These are the times when we integrate all that growth, when we allow our nervous system to settle, when we experience the fruits of our labor without immediately reaching for the next goal.
The key is recognizing which season you’re in and honoring that.
How to Know Which Season You’re In
You might be in a season of growth if:
- You feel restless or dissatisfied with aspects of your current life
- You have clear goals or changes you want to make
- You feel energized by planning, learning, and trying new things
- Your future self feels more compelling than your present self
You might be in a season of presence if:
- You’ve recently made significant life changes
- You feel overwhelmed by all your growth practices
- You’re craving simplicity and stillness
- Your body feels like it needs time to adjust and integrate
- Growth tools feel like “shoulds” rather than genuine desires
Practical Ways to Honor Each Season
In Growth Seasons:
- Establish morning and evening routines that support your goals
- Journal regularly to process and plan
- Seek out new learning opportunities
- Set clear intentions and check in on progress
- Surround yourself with inspiring content and people
In Presence Seasons:
- Simplify your routine, keep only what feels essential
- Practice mindfulness and body awareness
- Spend time in nature without any agenda
- Engage in activities purely for enjoyment, not self-improvement
- Notice the small, beautiful details of your daily life
- Trust that integration is happening even without active effort
The Permission You Might Need
Now the time has come again for me to rebuild my routine, to reconnect to the habits that I know work for me. But I’m approaching it differently this time. I’m not rushing back into everything at once. I’m choosing mindfully what to bring back and what to leave behind.
I’m sharing this with you because I want you to know that it’s okay to take breaks in your wellness and personal growth journey.
Wellness is about feeling great and making the best decisions for yourself, and sometimes that means you have to slow down, put all the tools, tricks, and habits aside for a while, and reconnect to the present moment.
You don’t need to be “on” all the time. You don’t need to be constantly optimizing, improving, or working on yourself. Sometimes the most transformative thing you can do is simply allow yourself to be exactly where you are.
Only when we slow down and feel into the present can we truly sense what’s working for us and what feels sticky.
An Invitation
As you read this, I invite you to check in with yourself:
What season are you in right now?
Are you honoring that season, or fighting against it?
What would it look like to fully embrace where you are?
Remember: both growth and presence are valuable. Both have their place. The wisdom is in knowing which one you need right now.
Embrace these waves of motivation to start new habits, but also embrace where you are today.
What about you? Are you in a season of growth or presence right now? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments below.
