The Price of Becoming YOU????

????Welcome to your bi-weekly jolt of well-brewed #inspiration. In serving #40 of 'BK Morning Brew’ let’s discuss becoming the next version of yourself in 2025. Thank you for subscribing, liking, sharing and commenting! #LetsBrewThis!??

Years ending in ‘00, ‘25, and ‘50 have always intrigued me. There’s something inherently reflective about them.

The ‘00 years close the door on one century while cracking open the window to another.

The ‘25 years? They mark a quarter of a century—a natural checkpoint for assessing how far we’ve come and where we’re headed.

And the ‘50 years? They’re the pivot points of a century, where we often pause to recalibrate and refocus.

Now, as we step into 2025, it’s hard not to think about what this moment means.

For those who love symbolism, numerology will tell you that the combination of 2 and 5 represents balance—a steady dance between embracing change and finding harmony in relationships.

I’m not a numerologist. But I do know this: embracing change is hard…very hard.

Change demands something from us—something uncomfortable. It asks us to grow, and growth never comes cheap.

To truly adapt, we have to confront the parts of ourselves that are no longer enough. The habits, the beliefs, the mindsets that felt safe last year might not carry us through this year.

Growth isn’t just about adding something new; it’s about letting go of something old.

And that’s where the pain comes in.

We hold tightly to what we know because it’s familiar, even if it’s holding us back.

Growth.

It sounds so inspiring when we talk about it, doesn’t it?

Like something smooth, something gentle, something that happens almost by magic if you just want it badly enough…or you wait long enough.

But the truth?

Growth is messy. It’s uncomfortable. It’s a fight between who you are and who you’re trying to become.

You can’t get stronger without resistance.

Think on this: muscles don’t grow because they’re coddled. They grow because they’re torn. Tiny fibers break apart, and in the process of healing, they rebuild into something tougher, something that can take more next time.

The same is true for the person you’re trying to become. You don’t grow into a better version of yourself by staying comfortable. You grow because life stretches you, pulls you apart, and dares you to come back stronger.

Sometimes, in the chaos of change, it feels like life is unraveling. Everything familiar seems to slip through your fingers, and the world you once knew feels like it’s falling apart. But… it’s not falling apart—it’s falling into place.

Wisdom is no different.

It doesn’t arrive wrapped in a bow, handed to you with a smile.

No, wisdom is the scar left behind after a failure.

It’s the quiet moment after you’ve fallen flat, and you’re sitting in the wreckage wondering how it all went so wrong.

That’s when you learn.

That’s when you see what you missed before.

Wisdom demands payment, and its price is often failure.

And then there’s confidence.

We all want it.

We envy people who seem to have it naturally, who walk into a room like they belong.

But the truth is, confidence isn’t born; it’s built.

And the building process?

It’s brutal.

You have to stumble.

You have to say the wrong thing.

You have to feel your cheeks burn with embarrassment.

That’s the cost.

Because every time you survive looking foolish, you realize it wasn’t the end of the world. You get a little braver. A little stronger. Until one day, you realize you’re not scared anymore.

But the hardest part: growth always asks you to let go of something.

A belief, a habit, a version of yourself that feels safe.

It’s not easy to say goodbye to the old you.

Even if that version of you is holding you back, it’s familiar. It’s comfortable.

But staying there means staying stuck.

To grow, you have to let that part of yourself die so that something new can take its place.

It’s painful. There’s no way around it. Growth isn’t pretty or poetic when you’re in the middle of it.

It’s late nights questioning yourself.

It’s tears and frustration and doubt.

It’s wondering if you’ll ever get there.

But when you come out the other side, you see it differently. The pain wasn’t punishment—it was the process.

So no, you can’t grow muscle without pain.

You can’t find wisdom without failure.

You can’t build confidence without embarrassment.

And you can’t change your life without sacrificing the person you used to be.

Growth hurts. But it’s worth it. Every single time.

If there’s one lesson the passing of time has taught me, it’s that the hardest moments of change are also the ones that shape us most deeply. ??

???BK Biweekly Quote(s):? “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” — N.R. Narayana Murthy

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates

??BK Tiny Tip:? When life feels like it’s falling apart, pause and ask yourself, “What could this be making room for?” Shift your focus from what you’re losing to what you’re about to gain—it’s the mindset that turns chaos into transformation.

??BK Mental Model:? Imagine your life as a phoenix—each phase an opportunity for renewal. When change feels like destruction, recognize it as a necessary burning away of the old, clearing space for growth. Just as the phoenix rises stronger from its ashes, trust that what feels like falling apart is actually the foundation for your next, more powerful version. Growth isn’t an end; it’s a continuous cycle of transformation.

??BK Mind-blowing Fact:? Research indicates that individuals who endure psychological struggle following adversity can often experience positive growth afterward, a phenomenon known as post-traumatic growth.? This remarkable capacity for transformation underscores the human potential to not only recover from life’s challenges but to emerge stronger and more resilient.

??BK Journaling Prompt:? Think about a moment in your life when everything felt like it was falling apart. Looking back, what did that experience clear away, and what did it make space for? How did it shape the version of yourself you are today? Could something you’re facing now be serving the same purpose?

???BK Call-to-Action: The next time you face a challenge that feels like everything is unraveling, pause. Ask yourself: “What part of me is this trying to transform?” Embrace the discomfort, lean into the uncertainty, and commit to growing into the person this moment is calling you to become. Write it down. Own it. Start now. You got this!

Your support means the world to me!? Keep the inspiration flowing, and let’s continue to connect, learn, and grow together. Thank you for subscribing, liking, sharing, and commenting! ?? - #ThinkBigger, BK

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