We usually think about growth in terms of addition. If we want to reach our goals—whether they’re health goals, professional goals, or personal ones—we’re told we need to add new skills, adopt better habits, or try harder than before.
But real growth doesn’t always come from adding more. Sometimes, the first step forward is letting go.
A Lesson From My Maple Trees
In our backyard stand three maple trees, unusual beauties for northern Canada. Last year, they looked like they were dying. One stood bare with no leaves at all, while the others produced only a handful of weak, wilted ones. Convinced they were gone, we called an arborist.
He pruned them down to almost nothing, drove fertilizer spikes deep into the soil, and told us to wait.
This summer, those same trees are thriving. One has nearly doubled in size.
Their revival didn’t come from adding more branches or leaves. It came from pruning away what no longer had life and nourishing what was still tender at the root.
What We Carry
Our own growth works much the same way. We spend so much time focusing on what we need to add that we forget to notice the weight of what we already carry. Negative self-beliefs like “I’m not enough” or “my body is broken” become heavy burdens. Coping strategies that once felt protective—turning to food in times of stress, or saying yes to everything to keep the peace—may now leave us feeling stuck and depleted.
Even relationships or environments can keep us small, especially when they reinforce shame, comparison, or diet culture. These things may feel invisible at times, but they quietly shape us and make it harder to grow into the next version of ourselves.
The Myth of More
Culturally, we’re surrounded by messages that glorify constant self-improvement. We’re told to stack new habits, master another productivity system, or follow the next health trend. In wellness spaces, this often looks like more rules, more restriction, more pressure to do everything “right.”
But what if true growth isn’t about piling on more? What if it begins with creating the space to notice what’s already there?
Your body already knows when it’s hungry, tired, or in need of movement or rest. Your spirit already whispers what brings you alive. This wisdom doesn’t need to be built from scratch—it needs room to be heard.
Nurturing What’s Tender
Just like those maple trees needed care at the root, we need to tend to the tender parts of ourselves. The sparks of inspiration that get drowned out by busyness. The longing for comfort, rest, or touch. The gentle nudges toward creativity, laughter, or connection.
These are not distractions from growth. They are growth. When we make space to notice and nurture them, we begin to flourish.
The Invitation
Growth often begins not with doing more, but with releasing what no longer serves us. That might mean letting go of a belief that has kept you small, a habit that leaves you drained, or an expectation that you must always push harder.
So I invite you to consider: What might you gently set down in this season of your life? And what tender whisper from your body or spirit could you choose to honor instead?
When we let go, we don’t lose. We create the conditions for transformation—growth that is sustainable, nourishing, and deeply our own.
Ready to Go Deeper?
If this resonates with you, I’d love to support you in taking the next step. My courses are designed to help you release diet culture, rebuild trust with your body, and move toward a more nourished, expansive life.
✨ Explore my programs here: wayzahealth.com/courses
Because growth doesn’t mean doing more—it means finding your way back to yourself.
