Personal growth shifts as we develop and enter various stages of life. In terms of my exercise performance, growth was discovering the goal of racing and pushing myself to the best of my ability through my training to achieve success in those endeavors. I continually expanded the goal to a new sport, distance, speed, ranking, etc. to keep from getting bored. Once I met all those goals twice I was ready re-direct my focus.
Growth now is a day like today when I planned to do one race just to support my team and the company who brought me into this sport. I put just enough time into the activity to complete the task but, not overtly so. Growth today is being perfectly content to forgo that race knowing I am not recovered enough from whatever virus took ahold of me this week. I am not upset or disappointed as I would have previously been . I will happily enjoy my day on the beach with maybe some light yoga and surfing instead.
These days I no longer "train" instead I "play". I do all the fun active things my 10 yo old self could dream of and then some. I do whatever sounds like the most fun and it varies depending on what my body is telling me it needs. I think it is important to look at the world through child like wonder appreciating all the beauty. I am taking that into a physical realm. I like to splash in the water and in mud puddles. Climb trees, ride and run through them, and play in the waves and on the water. I still grind through strength training indoors as maintenance but after my 25 years of lifting weights the necessary amount is much less to keep me strong enough to do what I love.
Where ever you are in growth journey, make sure you are doing what you love. Have a beautiful day!