Why growth hurts and why that’s a good thing

 No one enjoys struggle. Whether it’s trying to launch a business, learn a new skill, heal from heartbreak, or just get through a rough week—it’s uncomfortable. It’s exhausting. It makes you doubt yourself.

But what if struggle isn’t a sign that something’s wrong?

What if it’s actually a signal that something important is happening?

Here’s a truth that many of us resist: growth requires struggle. Not sometimes. Not occasionally. Always.

It’s not because life is cruel. It’s because change real, lasting change—asks us to step out of what’s familiar and into the unknown. And that’s never going to feel easy.

Let’s unpack why that is and why embracing struggle can change everything.

1. Struggle Means You’re Moving

Think of growth like going to the gym. If you lift weights that are too light, nothing really changes. You might feel productive, but you’re not building strength. It’s only when the weight gets heavy—when your muscles tremble and burn—that you begin to grow stronger.

It’s the same with mental, emotional, or professional growth. If everything feels easy, you’re probably stuck in your comfort zone. Struggle means you're challenging your limits. It means you’re trying something new.

That discomfort you feel? That’s the sound of old patterns breaking.

2. We Grow Through Resistance

Imagine a seed trying to break through the soil. It doesn’t just float up peacefully into the sunlight. It pushes, strains, and cracks through dirt and darkness. That’s the only way it can become a tree.

Human growth works the same way. We need resistance to build resilience. Without challenges, we never really find out what we're capable of.

In fact, some of the strongest, wisest people you know likely got that way because of what they’ve endured—not in spite of it.

3. Struggle Builds Self-Belief

When things go smoothly, it’s easy to feel confident. But that kind of confidence is fragile—it’s based on external conditions. True self-belief comes from getting through hard things and realizing, “I didn’t think I could do that... but I did.”

Every time you push through difficulty, you build a deeper, quieter kind of confidence. One that says, “I can trust myself, even when things are hard.”

That kind of confidence doesn’t come from reading self-help books. It comes from lived experience—from walking through the fire and coming out stronger.

4. Avoiding Struggle Often Creates More Pain

A lot of us try to dodge struggle. We avoid the hard conversation. We stay in the job that’s draining us. We numb out with distractions. But avoidance doesn’t save us from pain—it delays it. And often makes it worse.

Growth struggles—choosing to face what’s hard—are different. They’re uncomfortable, yes. But they lead somewhere. They create new options, new strengths, and new versions of ourselves.

As therapist Carl Jung said, “What you resist not only persists, but will grow in size.” Facing struggle now can save you from deeper suffering later.

5. Struggle Makes You Appreciate the Wins

If success came easy, it wouldn’t feel that meaningful. It’s the effort behind the win that makes it satisfying.

Think of someone climbing a mountain. The view at the top is stunning—but what makes it truly powerful is the journey it took to get there. The sore legs, the self-doubt, the near-giving-up moments. That’s what makes the summit special.

Without the struggle, the victory feels empty.

So... What Should You Do With This Truth?

If you’re in a season of struggle right now, don’t rush to escape it. Don’t assume you’re doing something wrong.

Instead, ask:

What am I learning through this?

How is this shaping me?

What strength might come out of this later?

This doesn’t mean we glorify suffering or seek it out. But when it comes—because it will—we can choose to see it differently. Not as a punishment, but as a portal.

A doorway to the stronger, wiser version of you. Growing Pains Are Still Progress

Growth isn’t a straight line. It’s messy, nonlinear, and often disguised as failure.

But if you’re struggling, don’t count yourself out. Struggle is not the opposite of progress—it’s the engine of it. It’s how we shed old skins, stretch into new ones, and move forward.

Keep going. The struggle means it’s working.

May 25, 2025 Tags : grow

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