“You can’t cross the border”, said the Chilean official. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Why not?” I asked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
“Your motorcycle is stolen”, he said, a completely unfounded accusation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
He sat there like an immovable object, his stamp all we needed to pass through one of the most remote outposts in Chile and return to Buenos Aires. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It had taken two days riding through the Atacama Desert, the driest<\/a> on Earth, to get to the border crossing, and money and motivation were desperately low. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Strangely, despite his claims of theft, the bike wasn’t being impounded, nor we arrested. We just had nowhere to go…(more on what happened shortly)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Although it might sound like a strange introduction to an article about personal growth experiences, it’s illustrative of the struggles we often face. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the time, our experiences appear insurmountable… <\/p>\n\n\n\n Losing a loved one, getting fired from a job or ending a relationship are soul-crushing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s only when we reflect with the benefit of hindsight that we can put our challenges into perspective and extract any positives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You see, personal growth plays an integral role in life, if you let it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While we can’t choose all the challenges we face, we can prepare for them in advance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s like playing a computer game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Progress isn’t meant to be easy, but by working hard to level up your character, it’s certainly possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Embracing discomfort prepares us to eventually defeat the big boss, the equivalent of overcoming unforeseen life obstacles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Wrong turns and false starts are simply part of the process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But what’s the alternative? <\/p>\n\n\n\n You remain on level one, mind-numbingly bored, out of challenges and inspiration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let’s look at some personal growth experiences I’ve experienced myself which can advance you to level two and beyond. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps these examples can provide ideas for your own adventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As you can see from my previous story, discomfort is inherent to any trip abroad. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether that’s a short holiday or extended backpacking trip<\/a>, you’ll inevitably face challenges, both cultural and logistical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In this way, exploring foreign lands is perhaps one of the best ways to exit your comfort zone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Immersion in a new culture opens your eyes to a whole new system of beliefs and values, a comparison template for your existing worldview. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In my previous example, the border guard was likely fishing for a bribe, certainly something I wasn’t used to coming from the UK. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Such encounters, while initially disconcerting, only serve to improve flexibility of mind when faced with alternate modes of living.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To really up the ante, try living abroad<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n While holidaying and travel provide useful snapshots, settling in a foreign land provides an unparalleled level of immersion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Having time to learn the local customs is both rewarding and challenging in equal measure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a while, I taught English in Vietnam and one of my fondest memories was accompanying my students to their favourite local restaurants, as the single token foreigner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This depth of integration was both uncomfortable, when all eyes were upon me, and also delightful, as I experienced a slew of new and exciting dishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Living abroad truly is a method for accelerated personal development like no other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To really test the neuroplastic capability of your brain, I recommend learning a new language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Possibly one of my all-time most challenging projects was learning Spanish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although admittedly it isn’t the hardest language, I went all in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n My girlfriend at the time, from Colombia, spoke to me exclusively in Spanish and I lived with her family for 3+ months, barely speaking any English. <\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of each day, I was absolutely exhausted, trying desperately to understand everyone and thinking entirely in another language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, however, this period of discomfort was a transformative time, as previously I’d thought I was too old to learn a new language. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Although my Spanish skills are now pretty rusty, I carry that confidence in my learning capabilities forward into new skills and projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These personal growth experiences might seem extravagant and out of reach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Fortunately, selling all your possessions and living like a monk in a cave aren’t required for self-improvement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So let’s look a bit closer to home. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Paradoxically, the biggest personal growth experiences I’ve had are actually due to mundane daily rituals like meditation and running. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I find these habits<\/a> tough to complete every day, which is exactly where growth flourishes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing things when you don’t want to gives you a feeling of invincibility, a realisation that you’re no longer subject to your emotional whims, and are capable of tackling any task, no matter how hard. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, pick daily non-negotiables<\/a> that not only contribute to your physical and mental wellbeing, but also boost internal credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The great thing about daily rituals<\/a> is that they can easily be reframed if they’re too intimidating at first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, the thought of starting a lifelong meditation habit can be overwhelming. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By using the concept of a 30-day challenge<\/a>, however, you can allow yourself to experiment with such personal growth experiences, reducing the emotional cost of starting something new. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A couple of my favourite challenges have been intermittent fasting and cold showers, both of which I continued past 30 days and which now form part of my consistent(ish) daily routine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When selecting your own personal growth experiences, there’s one central piece of advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose an uncomfortable pursuit<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as diamonds are forged at high pressure, so too personal growth is only possible with discomfort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Choose something too easy and you’ll likely remain within your comfort zone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing wrong with that, but if you want to increase your psychological gains, think bigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One example of this is when I started this website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Small Joel wanted to start writing, but only in private, journal-style. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Braver Joel decided to learn how to create websites and publish his work in the public domain. <\/p>\n\n\n\nPersonal Growth Experiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Examples and ideas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Travel<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Live aboard<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Learn a new language<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Implement a daily ritual<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Try a 30-day challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Self improvement program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n