As spring unfolds, I’m noticing growing plants everywhere that are reaching for the light, and working hard to grow strong and healthy. Every year that turns, those flowers and tree leaves own what they are, and go for it, and they’ll fight to stay alive in the fiercest of spring and summer storms. Growing and surviving make up their days. We are the lucky beneficiaries! I love seeing Instagram and FB photos of everyone’s spring outdoor joy-sightings this time of year.

All this springing up outdoors has got me wondering, “How can we make our own continued growing a critical part of this season of our lives?” Here are some ideas I’ve been thinking about to help strengthen our ongoing necessary and vital development as God’s living things. So in no particular order, here goes:

Be brave. Tell your stuff. Listen for wisdom.

Get a new counselor. Or act on the advice the old one keeps giving you like a broken record!

Try online dating. Try again.

Get out of this box! Think for yourself. The teacher may be wrong.

Move somewhere else. Is this place doing you any good? Have you wrung the life out of it? Start planning your exit. You know what you know and you know what you need and want.

Become a heretic about matters of faith where your spirit is telling you, “This might be a non-essential.” Do your homework. Be open to re-knowing God, and have faith. Because the bottom line is always: it’s about having faith. Learn to have it. Hold mystery.

Buy something new at IKEA, or ???. Buy a home design magazine and duplicate one thing in it – something you would never have thought to do. Stick a plastic plant in a wicker basket. Rearrange the room. Buy new towels. Let your space say back to you, “Hey, something new is going on here!”

Get a job. Or a different job. Let it distract you, and introduce you to some new people.

Go to a different church. When the folks at the old church ask, “Where’ve you been?” Look at them in the eye and say, “I’ve been visiting _____________ down the street.” You never know. They may be thinking, “Ohhhh. I’m jealous.” Grant them permission by demonstrating your own bravery. You know what you know.

To that point, evaluate your present tribe (what’s your gut been saying to you?) and if you’ve got a notion, actively look for your new one. Socialize with the people you’re outgrowing, but try on some new people too.

To that point, stop waiting for someone to ask you over. Ask them. Ask a bunch of people over and tell them to bring a topic and discuss. Stop. Waiting. For. Others. to invite you.

Whatever you’re closed-minded about, take a few minutes and be open to it. What do you hear in yourself?

Stop saying, “I hate to be labeled.” Learn some new labels about yourself, not to define and restrict you, but to inform you about you. Own all of who you are. Be open to Meyers-Briggs and the Enneagram and let them help you understand and live into yourself.

Stand up to your boss with pure wisdom (not anger) and tell her/him why you did what you did, or that you need more training and when can it start? Because you know what you know, and your boss needs help being a boss.

Give to a charity that’s not on the radar of everyone you know. Who else needs your time or money or interest or petition-signing?

Listen to your body. Because the body doesn’t lie. It too is informing your growing journey. How is it getting your attention and what is it trying to say to you?

Here’s to doing some new, perhaps risky, fun, important, incredible, shocking, deep-breath taking growth in our lives this year. How can this year look different than the last, and signal to our spirits that we are really ready to be re-energized by this season?