Choosing Growth

This morning my alarm woke me up at 4:00am, signaling that it was time to start the beginning of one of the greatest adventures of my life. With three and a half hours of sleep, some of my sweetest supporters and I jumped into a car and drove away from my family, my home, and everything that I have ever known.

This week has caused me to reflect a lot on the choices that I make. One by one this summer I said goodbye to those who I am closest to in order to pursue something that is full of unanswered questions, hopeful expectations, and challenges. And why have I decided to do the hard thing–the painful thing–the uncomfortable thing? At moments I am not entirely sure I know the answer to this question. I only know that I must. I know that it is in my nature to do the thing that I am being called to do, even if I don’t understand it in the moment.

I believe that growth happens within the uncomfortability. I’ll state that again: growth happens within the uncomfortability. The uncomfortableness of leaving your family and friends. The uncomfortableness of moving your whole life to a country you’ve never been to. Of signing up for a job you only know vague details about. Of jumping into something that you cannot control. Or even in the small daily interactions we have with people where we are forced to speak up, to speak out, and to listen to those who aren’t being heard. Life is going to be uncomfortable. The right thing to do will often be uncomfortable. And even knowing this, I am ready to jump into this experience with everything I have. I am ready to live fully, to learn deeply, and to form relationships that have the ability to positively impact this deeply wounded world we live in.

So today, as I held those that I love profoundly and sobbed in the Portland airport, I knew I was still doing the right thing. So I took a deep breath and I walked towards the next chapter of my life.