Soul's Purpose Coach & Human Design Expert
uncover your purpose, cultivate self trust & build unshakable confidence to allow your fullest self to EMERGE ✨️
One of the things that doesn’t work for myself+ my clients when it comes to ‘growth mindset’ is that a lot of it emphasizes staying positive and always believing in yourself. And yes, in theory, I agree in always believing in ourselves and being our own greatest cheerleader. But it’s unfair and unrealistic to expect ourselves to feel positive and inspired all the time. It’s unfair and unrealistic to expect ourselves to be at 100% all the time.
Most of what you read about ‘growth mindset’ is all about staying positive, “pushing through,” and believing in yourself. But REAL growth often feels confusing and unclear. REAL growth often involves outgrowing things that no longer fit or serve you and feeling a sense of discomfort at not necessarily having all the answers.
This post is all about the REAL growth mindset… the messy, quiet and non-linear way that actual growth happens.

We often think that ‘growth’ always looks like feeling an abundance of motivation, clarity in our goals, making progress, forward momentum and confidence. But real growth doesn’t necessarily look or feel this way!
Real, true growth often feels like…
Don’t bypass this stage or these feelings! They can be signs of actual growth… the kind that can often be uncomfortable and ‘not as pretty’ but is actually so impactful. Real growth doesn’t always look or feel good – it can be messy. Growth requires space, not just effort. It requires time for you to actually integrate and learn lessons along the way. It requires breaking down limiting beliefs and giving yourself permission to rest before you need it.
Growth often involves change, which is difficult for many people because it challenges our internal status quo and ‘normal’, and what our brains feel is ‘safe’ and comfortable. Have deep patience and empathy with yourself if you find that growth feels tough … this is natural and you are resilient!

A more honest ‘growth mindset’ involves this element of resilience… this self-belief that you will always be okay. A resilience mindset is an ultimate belief and trust that you can handle whatever comes your way. It’s also about trusting the process and letting things evolve with time rather than forcing outcomes. Of knowing when to pause rather than to push. It’s about trusting yourself enough not to rush clarity.
You may be growing more than you even know because it doesn’t look or feel like what you think it should. This is your reminder that growth sometimes feels sticky and hard. Sometimes it involves letting things fall away. But at the end of the day, you are resilient… you’ve got this.
Journaling is one of my favourite ways to explore how I feel about things, work on my growth mindset, and develop deep clarity. In this free guide, I share my fave journaling tips alongside 70 guided prompts.

My Go-To Mindset Tools When I Feel STUCK
You Don’t Need More “Mindset Tools”… You Need THIS
Mindset Tools for Clarifying Your Soul’s Purpose
Soul's Purpose Coach & Human Design Expert
uncover your purpose, cultivate self trust & build unshakable confidence to allow your fullest self to EMERGE ✨️
coach for creatives craving deep clarity, insight and confidence so you can make impact with your art + gifts.
located in prince edward county, serving clients worldwide..
photos of lauren by chloe tremblay & sherina shanelle |
branding by to:design studio
privacy policy - disclaimer - terms & conditions
© lauren osselton 2019 - 2025 all rights reserved
I live, work and create on the traditional territory of Huron-Wendat, Anishinaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples
I am committed to providing a safe space for all creative souls of all gender identities+ expressions, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, disability status, citizenship
(and other core pieces of who YOU are).
