Growth Mindset in Real Life: Meeting Your Growing Edges

To create meaningful change in your wellbeing, there’s one thing that matters more than almost anything else:

You have to believe that change is possible.

Not perfectly.
Not all at once.

But in a steady, grounded way.

From Space… to Reset… to Growth

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been exploring themes of spaciousness and resetting routines—especially in this season of spring.

Creating a little more room.
Realigning the way we move through our days.

And what I see again and again is this:

Once we create a little more space and begin to reset our rhythms, we often come right up against something else…

The edge of change.

Growth Mindset, Simply Put

You may have heard the terms fixed mindset and growth mindset, a concept developed by Carol Dweck.

A fixed mindset sounds like:

• “This is just how I am.”
• “I can’t change.”
• “I’ve tried this before.”

A growth mindset sounds like:

• “I can learn this.”
• “This might take time.”
• “I can’t do this… yet.”

At its core, it’s really about this question:

Do I believe change is possible for me?

What This Looks Like in Real Life

Let me make this personal.

Right now, one of my growing edges is writing a book.

I’ve felt for a long time that a book is in me—something I want to offer, especially for women in this stage of life.

And at the same time, starting has brought up a lot:

• self-doubt
• imposter syndrome
• the feeling that it might be too hard

But I’m doing it.

A little bit at a time.

And that’s what a growing edge often looks like.

Another example is something simpler—like getting up a little earlier and starting the day with more intention.

Or what I see with clients all the time:

• trying to shift eating habits
• changing how they use their mornings
• taking a real break instead of scrolling

These are small things.

But they matter.

The Moment That Matters Most

Here’s what I see again and again:

Someone starts to make a shift.
It goes well for a day or two.

And then something happens.

They fall back into an old pattern.
And the mind comes in with:

• “This isn’t working.”
• “I’m not good at this.”
• “I knew I couldn’t change.”

That moment right there—that’s the growing edge.

Understanding Your Growing Edges

A growing edge is the space between where you are and where you want to be.

And it usually feels:

• uncomfortable
• uncertain
• sometimes frustrating

It brings up the parts of us that:

• doubt
• resist
• feel inconsistent

This is completely normal.

Growth asks something of us.

A Spring Reflection on Growth

Spring is a season of growth.

But if you look around in nature, growth doesn’t happen all at once.

It’s gradual.
It unfolds over time.
It requires patience.

The same is true for us.

When we’re changing habits, shifting routines, or stepping into something new—things don’t bloom overnight.

We need:

• patience
• grace
• understanding

A More Supportive Way Forward

Instead of expecting yourself to get it right immediately, you might ask:

• What’s one small adjustment I can make?
• Can I stay with this a little longer?
• What would a growth mindset sound like here?

And sometimes, it’s even simpler than that.

It’s just taking a breath.

Creating a little space.

And remembering that growth is still happening—even when it feels slow.

Room to Breathe, Space to Grow

A couple of weeks ago, I talked about creating space.

That idea still applies here.

When we pause, breathe, and reconnect to a bigger perspective, we remember something important:

There is a part of us that wants to grow.

To become more:

• alive
• vibrant
• skillful
• compassionate
• creative

When we’re connected to that part of ourselves, growth becomes less about pressure—and more about possibility.

A Question to Sit With

As you move through your week, you might ask:

Where am I being invited to grow right now?

And:

What would it look like to meet that place with a little more patience and care?

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