Heeding The Student Voice

How much attention do you devote to your personal development? How willing are you to use financial resources for that development?

It's notable how many things we allow to take precedence over our growth. Perpetual "to do" lists, phone calls & e-mails to return, numerous mundane tasks demanding attention - gets easy to postpone a focus on becoming more, doesn't it? There are no shortage of distractions. Every task leads to several others. Money can always be spent on something more practical than personal evolution. Time passes, more tasks mount up, growth falls off any list of priorities.

In my last full time job working with high potential people, I often suggested they put themselves on the top of their own "to do" list from time to time. It's an apt metaphor for all of us, isn't it? How else do we ever carve out the needed time? Spending time has rarely been an issue for me. My bigger challenge has always been the financial piece. And though I've made progress, it remains difficult for me to justify spending a great deal of money on my learning and development.

But as I continue de-briefing my recent second visit to Kripalu and feel larger after each review of the week's learning, the student voice is beginning to drown out the thrifty voice. Hallelujah.