Identifying Your Conditions for Growth

There’s something about spring in Chicago that feels especially honest. It most definitely does not rush the process. It reminds us that growth doesn’t arrive fully formed, it emerges slowly, maybe quietly, and almost always beneath the surface first. Perhaps almost apprehensive to commit to summer. “April showers bring May flowers” isn’t just a seasonal shift. It’s a gentle permission slip to trust that what feels heavy, uncertain, or even stagnant right now may actually be creating the exact conditions needed for something new to take root.

Lately, I’ve been bringing a question into sessions: What conditions are helpful for you to grow, learn, and thrive? If you imagined yourself like one of those small plants with a tag stuck into the soil which clearly outlines how much sunlight, water, and care is needed: what would yours say?

Maybe it reads: consistent rest, honest conversations, space to fail without judgment. Maybe it includes movement, creativity, structure, or humor. Maybe it calls for boundaries, or connection, or time outside. And maybe, just like in spring, it includes periods of rain and moments of discomfort, challenge, or emotional release that are not setbacks, but essential ingredients.

Many of us were never explicitly taught to identify our own “growing conditions.” We’ve learned to adapt, to push through, to perform BUT not always to pause and ask what actually sustains us. This season offers an invitation to get curious about that. To notice what helps you feel more like yourself.

Growth isn’t about forcing yourself into bloom before you’re ready. It’s about honoring the environment you need so that, when the time comes, growth is given an opportunity.

So if you were to write your own care instructions, your personal sunlight and water requirements, what would they be?