American culture insists we move up or move out. Take on more responsibility. Grow your bank account. Build that addition. Franchise your business. Improve yourself. There are libraries filled with books detailing how to get rich, where to invest your time and resources, when to buy and sell, what steps to take to get there. Growth is as American as apple pie, and we are reminded of this every day of our lives. But what happens when we don’t “grow” - in our material or our inner lives - at a pace that is expected of us by society, or our parents, or our partner? Shame and comparison often linger just outside, eager to join in walk into the room and lecture us on how we do not match up to the cultural norms and expectations laid out for us so clearly by the media, our culture and our peers. We cannot escape the cultural soup we swim in. American culture often privileges growth over status quo. How do we help people who feel the crushing weight of expectations and comparison? If we can help individuals or couples establish their own definition of growth, change or success on their own terms, what then becomes possible?
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Is the direction I'm headed the one I truly want to go? What if it's not? What then? How did I get on this path in the first place?
If I want to change, how can I do that? And wait... what if I don't know where I want to go? Is that even ok? (yes, it is) |
AuthorTom Andre is a psychotherapist intern and career consultant. ArchivesCategories |