Have you ever felt that you were being called for more? Something different. Something more fulfilling. Something that will allow you to move in the flow of life. Have you ever experienced moments in your life you felt uncomfortable in your career, amongst friendship circles, in a relationship, your environment, where you live or even in your own family? If so you are not alone. I’ve been there too! There comes a moment when discomfort isn’t a sign that you’re failing, it’s evidence that you’re growing.
Many of us misinterpret that feeling. We assume the unease means we’re doing something wrong, when in reality it often means we’ve stayed too long in a space that once fit but no longer does. Growth has a way of stretching us beyond familiar boundaries, and when it does, shrinking can feel easier than stepping forward.
But shrinking is costly.
In Success Is In Your Reach, I talk about how success requires alignment, not just effort. You can work hard, show up consistently, and still feel unfulfilled if you’re forcing yourself to fit into places you’ve already outgrown. Growth demands honesty. It asks us to acknowledge when our capacity, calling, or conviction has expanded beyond our current environment.
There was a season in my life when I knew I had more to give, but I kept quiet to keep the peace. I downplayed my ideas. I softened my voice. I made myself smaller so others wouldn’t feel uncomfortable with my growth. And while it looked like humility on the outside, it was actually fear on the inside.
Fear of what it would mean to those I loved.
Fear of standing out.
Fear of disrupting the status quo.
Fear of what would be required if I fully stepped into who I was becoming.
THE SHIFT
The shift happened when I realized this: Shrinking doesn’t preserve peace, it delays purpose.
I wasn’t honoring my gifts by hiding them. I wasn’t being faithful by staying silent. I was simply postponing the version of myself that required courage.
Outgrowing a place doesn’t mean it was wrong. It means it served its purpose for that season. But staying beyond your assignment will always cost you clarity, confidence, and momentum.
Here’s what I want you to consider this week:
- Where are you minimizing yourself to remain comfortable?
- What environment no longer challenges or stretches you?
- What version of you is waiting on the other side of courage?
Action Steps
- Write down one area where you’ve been holding back.
- Identify one truth you’ve been afraid to speak or act on.
- Take one bold step that reflects who you are becoming—not who you used to be.
Affirmation
I honor my growth without guilt.
I refuse to shrink what God is expanding.
I give myself permission to move forward.
You are not difficult.
You are not doing too much.
You are simply growing.
And success doesn’t require you to shrink, it requires you to rise.
