Growth Begins with Awareness
As I shared in my inaugural post, growth never stops.
It simply changes shape.
One of the ways I have found myself growing over the last month and a half has been mentally and emotionally.
Let me ask you a question:
How often do you check in with yourself mentally?
Emotionally?
When I was in college, I served on the Residence Life team as a Resident Assistant. Each year, RAs would gather for training, where we learned how to lead, respond to crises, and support the students living in our residence halls.
During my first year as an RA, I was introduced to a concept called checking your gauges.
We were encouraged to regularly assess five areas of our lives:
- Physical
- Mental
- Emotional
- Spiritual
- Intellectual
Think about the dashboard of a car. Your vehicle has gauges that tell you how much fuel remains, how fast you are traveling, the engine temperature, and whether something requires attention.
Your life is no different.
We all have gauges.
The challenge is that many of us keep moving without ever looking at them.
Taking time to step back and assess how you are doing can help identify areas that need attention before they become larger issues.
Recently, I did a gauge check of my own.
What I discovered surprised me.
I had been neglecting my emotional and mental health.
I knew something was off because things that once felt normal suddenly felt difficult. Spending time with people I love began to feel more draining than restorative. Going into a store required a mental pep talk and a clear mission: “Get items A, B, and C, then leave.”
I also noticed myself forgetting what I wanted to say in the middle of conversations or losing my train of thought entirely.
At first, I blamed my ADD.
After all, I had recently returned to the United States following significant disruption and uncertainty. My routines had disappeared, and I assumed that was the source of the problem.
As I shared my frustrations with trusted friends, they helped me see a different perspective.
One friend gently pointed out that I had experienced a lot in a very short time and had not given myself space to process it.
Another reminded me that anxiety and ADD can sometimes look surprisingly similar.
Both conversations challenged me to slow down and pay attention to what was happening beneath the surface.
The truth was simple:
I was carrying more than I realized.
This was not the first time I had faced a season like this.
During my sophomore year of college, after the loss of my mother, I began meeting with a therapist. At first, I was hesitant. I wasn’t even aware my university offered counseling services until a friend shared their own positive experience.
That decision became an important part of my healing journey.
Unfortunately, conversations around mental health can still carry stigma.
Within the Black community, and particularly among Black men, seeking help is often viewed differently than it should be. Historical injustices, distrust of medical systems, lack of access, cultural expectations, and misinformation have all contributed to barriers that continue today.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Black adults with mental illness are significantly less likely to receive treatment than their non-Black counterparts.
There are many reasons for this gap, including access, awareness, affordability, and trust.
Whatever the reason, the result is that many people struggle in silence.
If that is you, I want you to hear this:
There is hope.
As someone who follows Christ, I believe deeply in the power of prayer and bringing our burdens before God.
I also believe God provides people, tools, and resources to help us heal and grow.
For those standing at that crossroads, it is okay to talk to Jesus and a therapist.
Those two things do not have to compete with one another.
Seeking support is not a weakness.
It is wisdom.
As you continue your own growth journey, I encourage you to take a few moments and check your gauges.
How are you doing physically?
Mentally?
Emotionally?
Spiritually?
Intellectually?
What might need your attention right now?
For some, growth may come through rest.
For others, it may come through community, prayer, counseling, exercise, or learning new coping strategies.
The important thing is recognizing that you do not have to navigate life’s challenges alone.
There is help available.
There is hope available.
And there is growth available, even in difficult seasons.
I hope this reflection provides the encouragement, perspective, or resources you may need for the next step of your journey.
Either way, I’m glad you’re here.
Welcome back to
The Growth Journey.
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I like that perspective of checking gauges. There are things that I’ve desired to do for years but I wasn’t consistent and even got discouraged. Thanks for sharing this. A few of my gauge lights have been on and I need to talk to Jesus to help me fix them.
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