Contributed by @philhagspiel |  Edited and curated by @philhagspiel

Every so often, we go through phases of felt stagnation — often triggered by the end of a relationship, the loss of a job or a deeply felt lethargy and lack of orientation.

Sometimes, we only understand years later how the emotional and spiritual chaos back then actually helped us let go of emotional baggage, define new values, develop new interests or understand more about who we are when no one’s looking.

Periods of realization of our personal growth can be temporally decoupled from the period of growth itself.

— Andre Gide

➞ For a few thoughts on why personal growth isn't always straightforward, check out this short article.