Personal growth – and what the lobster teaches us about it
When a lobster grows, he is always faced with an existential decision: does he stay in his confidante but now too tight shell, or does he dare to mute? His tank, which once protected him, becomes a bond over time. It begins to press, limits every movement and makes further growth impossible. So does the lobster Something that touches people deeply when we look closer to us: he leaves his old protection – despite the danger, despite the vulnerability.
Our inner bowls
And this is exactly where the parallel to our own life begins. We also wear bowls with us, not from chitin, but out of habits, thought patterns and self -image. In them we find security, orientation and sometimes a kind of home. But each of these covers has a lifespan. When personal growth is due, the once protective structure becomes a prison.
Personal growth – courage for vulnerability
Personal growth means feeling this inner tightness – and not avoiding it. It means to recognize that what has worn us so far is no longer sufficient for the person we could become. This is exactly where courage is needed: the courage to strip off the old shell, even if we feel vulnerable and raw. It takes trust in our own inner process, because in the phase between old and new skin we are particularly sensitive. But without this phase there is no real personal growth.
The price of the standstill
Many people prefer to stay in their old tanks. They come to close closely, they ignore the discomfort, they stick to roles, relationships or inner beliefs that no longer fit. But the price is high: if you miss the moment of skinning, you get stuck in a life that is smaller than what would be possible. True personal growth does not arise in the comfort zone. It arises where we are willing to allow uncertainty – where we no longer only work, but rediscover ourselves.
Sign of change
There are times when life gently invites us to change. And there are times when it literally pushes us out, otherwise we would look at it internally. Personal growth does not follow any fixed plan, not a calendar. It happens when our inner world gets too big for the old housing. It turns out to be in small signs – in the tiredness about old routines, in the longing for more depth, in the quiet anger over one’s own limits.
The consequences of the refusal
Let us imagine that the lobster would refuse his molting, out of fear of vulnerability. He would become more and more immobile, and weaker and weaker until he finally dies. It is so drastic for us: if we refuse personal growth, we lose part of our liveliness. We stop growing – internally, mentally, mentally.
The conscious decision to change
Therefore, the conscious decision is needed: Yes, I let go. Yes, I allow myself to be vulnerable. Yes, I dare into the stranger because I feel that more lives in me than what I’ve lived so far. Personal growth is not a straight path, but a recurring cycle of molting, uncertainty and new strength.
Personal growth – win yourself
Sometimes this process feels like we are losing everything. In fact, however, we win something precious: ourselves, real, freer and deeper connected to our innermost essence.
Just as the lobster grows into a larger, stronger shell after his molting, we too grow beyond ourselves – if we are ready to strip off the old skin.
The call to freedom
Maybe you are standing at such a point yourself. Perhaps you feel the narrow, quiet call for more life, more authenticity, more freedom. Then know: you are not alone. Personal growth is not easy, but it is the deepest form of loyalty to yourself.
Have the courageto put your old bowl. Trust that you are strong enough to go through the phase of vulnerability. And remember: Every new shell, every new version of your own is already waiting for you – bigger, further, more alive.