All growth requires loss

Good one by @markmanson:

All growth requires loss. A loss of your old values, your old behaviors, your old loves, your old identity. Therefore, growth sometimes has a component of grief to it.

I love being a dad, but sometimes lament the loss of past freedoms.

I love being an indie hacker, but sometimes grieve the loss of income, and the feeling of being good at something.

I love being older, but grieve the loss of health and fitness (and hair!) at the expense of experience.

I love to make a living just building products, but whine about still needing to do consulting.

I love spending more time with my family, but struggle to balance it due to work.

I love to wake up early to build, but that means I sacrifice some sleep.

The challenge with growth is when we don’t accept the grief, that the past is gone. We want growth without loss. And we get frustrated when it doesn’t happen. Or over-extend ourselves trying to keep both sides.

The loss has a practical utility, in fact. Because only through the vacuum created by the loss can new and better things come in to fill in the gap.

It’s a good reminder, this little snippet.

I got to be mindful and show up to what life offers, and practice acceptance, to know my season.

All growth requires loss.