Earlier today when I headed out for a run, I came upon a snake sunning itself on our gravel driveway. This may not seem remarkable, but it was to me. That’s because snakes have been on my mind this week. I was trying to figure out how to include my thoughts in this very newsletter. Plus, I needed a photo. I usually include a photo that I took myself. I didn’t think I had one until today. There it was, sprawled out before me. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
You may wonder what a snake has to do with encouragement. It’s not such a stretch, pun intended, as you might think. As a snake grows, its skin stretches. When the old skin will no longer stretch, further growth is not possible. So, a snake sheds its skin in order to allow for more growth.
As humans, we don’t shed our physical skin the same way snakes do, but there are often areas in our lives where we are bound like a snake in an old, stretched skin. Instead of breaking free from something that clearly no longer fits, or is beneficial for us, we stay in that uncomfortable place. Change is scary. However, just like the snake, we will not grow if we refuse to shed what binds us.
My encouragement to you is to think about an area in your life where you want to grow. Are you bound by anything that is preventing that growth? Take a small step forward. Do something today that your future self will be thankful you did.