Sustainable Personal Growth

I had assumed sustainability was defined

As conservation of material resources, it had not crossed my mind

To think about my growth and abilities

In terms of personal sustainability

I stumbled upon this concept by serendipity

But it us now baked into my lexicon permanently

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I had thought that I needed an insatiable drive

To grow, to succeed, and to continue to thrive

In a competitive world- it did not matter if in the process

My energy got depleted- I thought I was immune from stress

But that is not so, I am increasingly vulnerable

To age, emotional stress, illness, sleep deprivation- I am unable

To bounce back to the same baseline after a stressful event

If I keep ignoring my needs, the inevitable decline would prevent

Me from moving forward in life steadily

Therefore I must focus on personal sustainability

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To do this, healthy boundaries I should create

Between professional and personal life, clearly communicate

Those boundaries to people surrounding me

So that I can channel my energy

Into rejuvenation and not wait for complete depletion

I should forego with others constant competition

I should recharge by disconnecting myself from technology

Every night and make quality sleep a priority

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We cannot keep burning fossil fuels indefinitely

Likewise adrenaline cannot continue to fuel me

As humankind looks for sustainable solutions for the world, I believe

Sustainability in personal development we should also try to achieve