If You Want To Grow, Learn To Let Go

I’ve never been the domestic type. I own one sharp knife, one pot and one pan. I never put away my clean laundry and I’ve probably killed every plant I’ve ever owned. (I barely remember to feed myself lunch, much less pour a glass of water for my living home decor.)

But just like most people, I’ve wasted time and energy watering a few weeds in my life. You definitely don’t need a domestic bone in your body when it comes to this.

You’ll never bloom until you get rid of what poisons you. Photo cred: BlueGenes Photography

Thinking back on some of the best memories, career milestones, or life changes I have experienced, I realize there was always something I had to get rid of before I got to the reward. It’s called letting go and it took me a long time to understand that it’s true what they say: When you quit watering the weeds, you’ll really start to grow.

We all have something (or someone) keeping us from truly embracing what we believe in, strive for, or care about. These are the weeds and believe me when I say they’ve got to go.

When I moved to Nashville, I had the idea in my head that success meant working as a celebrity hair stylist. I had plans to submit my work to every agency in town, go on tour with someone, and be backstage at every awards show. Through networking and really hustling, I have had the opportunity to get booked some pretty cool gigs.

On the outside and through the tiny lens of social media, those types of jobs seem to be the definition of truly “making it”. But as my career unfolded, I started to realize that my generalized idea of success was not the thing that truly made me become passionate about what I do.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m grateful for the “cool jobs” I have the opportunity to do every once in awhile, but when I finally ran toward what truly sets my soul on fire, I realized that it’s the everyday people who I was born to embrace as my client. The people who don’t always get to experience the joy of feeling beautiful are my favorite ones to build relationships with, connect with, and bring a little joy to through my talents.

Once I realized what my personal definition of success was and let go of what others expected, I started to grow. Investing in the wrong people, ideas, or relationships is what keeps you from blooming into the exact person you were born to be. And once you embrace that, you start to live your dream life. So take a minute and think about the weeds you’re watering and don’t be afraid to pour yourself a glass of water instead.