Are You Pot Bound?

Maybe you need to spread your roots and expand

Photo by Adam Winger on Unsplash

We rarely realize we are in a constant state of flux. We change our opinions to match our ever-changing perceptions, and our likes and dislikes change, too. We don’t always accommodate the many ways we alter, and that’s a problem because we need to recognize them, or we stunt personal growth.

Imagine a plant in a tiny pot, for instance. At first, the size of the pot is right. The plant fits perfectly. In time, given nourishment and water, it gains leaves and a longer stem. It’s easy to see these signs of growth because they are above ground. Below the surface, though, the roots expand too, and unless you put the plant in a larger vessel, it gets pot-bound and weakens. It can’t grow well because it needs more room.

People are like plants when it comes to growth. As their perceptions about life expand, they must change their environment and lifestyle. But they often get stuck in a rut, following old routines and clinging to old ideals and habits. They don’t recognize that these things don’t serve them anymore and keep them pot-bound.

Your ideas about what you want and how you want to show up in the world change as you learn and grow. It helps to push the boundaries that get fixed in place by old ideals. If you say you want to collect china cats, move to…