2022 was an amazing year, and we had so much fun getting to know each of you!
Our online gatherings were full of laughter, transparency and vulnerability. Our in-person gatherings were community oriented and filled with friendship building! All of our gathering experiences were invaluable to us!! Thank you all for being a part of Growth Co. in 2022.
2022 built our momentum, and set us up for a transformational 2023 🙂
With all of the personal growth and exploration that was taking place, we still felt like there was something missing…We needed that “umph” that would REALLY get our members connected to themselves, one another and the organization as a whole.
We are so proud to tell you that our focus for 2023 is LIFE SKILLS!
In today’s society, 20s/30s struggle to find community and a sense of belonging. What better way to develop life as a young adult than to focus on life skill-sets that will set us up for success! Things like how to: cook, perform simple home repairs, practice boundaries, balance work/play, fitness/nutrition, meditation/prayer, find your purpose & MORE!
Diving into these life skills as a community will only strengthen and unite us! Both as individuals and as a group!
Each month, we will focus on a different skill set, and have opportunities for members to lead these skill sets for the rest of us depending on their interests!
Growth Co. exists to provide a boundary breaking space that unites 20s/30s while encouraging the development of real life skills. As a result, deep and intentional connections lead to positive transformation within themselves, one another, and their communities.
We are beyond exited to give this year a purpose…and we can’t wait to learn REAL life skills with you this year!! 🙂
Skill Set suggestions? Interested in leading a specific skill set for Growth Co.?
Contact Lexi at:
lexi@thegrowthco.org OR shoot her a text at (704)-476-1050 🙂
A study conducted by the University of California – San Diego (pre-pandemic) calculated that each person takes in about 34 GB of information per day. Through mobile phones, online entertainment services, the Internet, electronic mail, television, radio, newspapers, books, social media etc. people receive every day about 105,000 words or 23 words per second in half a day (12 hours) (during awake hours). – Tech 21 Century
In a world where most people unquestioningly accept what they are told, independent thinkers are a rare breed.
There are so many people, places and things I owe for motivating and shaping me into the person that I am today. As cliche as that sounds, it’s true. For all of us!
Over the past year, I have put more intentional effort into developing my character than I ever have. Through this process (difficult being an understatement), I’ve found one concept that convicts me with more depth than any others: the importance of thinking for myself.
The ability to think for oneself is one of the most essential skills for a successful life.
Too often, we are told what to think. We are given the “correct” answer and expected to just accept it. Why? Why do we so blindly take everything at face value? Some could say it’s the easiest option… Trust me friends, there is MORE to life. Thinking for yourself can encourage you to spend time thinking about what you’ve learned and how it relates to what you already know. You will ask questions, seek answers, and challenge ideas. We should be people who are interested in making up their own minds. Your thoughts make you who you are, so when you stop thinking for yourself, you give up your self-worth and control over your life. Many people blindly follow what they’ve been told without ever questioning their beliefs.
Is this too much?? It can be heavy. Let’s back up and start with the basics:
Who is the real “you?”
What do you want out of life? What are your passions? What brings you joy? What are your fears?
These should be relatively easy questions that don’t require much thought. But guess what – they do; Because we’ve grown to not make these the foundation of our being. Once you can confidently answer these questions, you’re on track for authentic living.
The ability to think for oneself is an important component of personal growth. Unfortunately, we’re bombarded with information coming at us from all angles, and it can be difficult to tell what’s true and what’s false.
As a human living in the digital age, you are now responsible for your own thoughts. It may seem like a daunting task, but your original self-expression depends on it. The moment you start thinking for yourself, new perceptions, mental models and new worlds open up for you.
You either think for yourself, or others think for you without consideration of your actual needs.
I can’t express this enough: The PURPOSE of Growth Co. is to help guide you into a lifestyle that is lead by thinking for yourself in order to further explore and develop your true character. I, Lexi Hernandez, don’t have all the answers to life and I’m still discerning how to live a life full of love and understanding. It has never been the hope that as a member, you come to get “answers” from someone who has it all figured out. I don’t find that to be effective leadership. I’m with you. I’m working on and through my own s**t! The REAL hope is that we come together to learn our OWN voices, beliefs and values and can practice respectfully walking alongside one another for all celebrations and fails in life. With Jesus at the core of MY foundation, I believe these things are achievable.
It starts with learning to think for yourself: your authentic future depends on it.
As you may know, I am a licensed local pastor in the United Methodist denomination. Sometimes, I have to preach at Growth Co.’s anchor church – West Church LKN. This past Sunday was one of those times. It’s a totally different experience than what we offer at Growth Co., but it’s just as amazing. Today’s On Draft post is going to be a written version of my notes from Sunday’s message on Time Management.
It’s ironic of me to be thinking I can provide any advice or teachings on time management, because I have no time management. But, what I was able to find after researching and putting together into notes was transformational for me. I want to share those things with you today with hopes that it can be transformation for you, too.
I’ve inserted the link, but will give a quick summary of what it says:
“3 Time Management Tips I Learned from Jesus”
Jesus Focused on What Was in Front of Him in the Moment
He listened, focused and took care of the tasks where he was without being distracted by what was happening elsewhere.
Jesus Didn’t Worry about What Was Going Undone
He knew it would be done when it was time to do it
He had in mind a specific time and place where those needs would be taken care of.
Jesus Didn’t Try To Achieve “Balance”
He had no concept of “balance”
He was guided wherever his needs were most needed for that moment
At different times he would mentor the disciples, school the Pharisees and honor his Mother and Father.
*But he didn’t try to do them all at once, or give them equal effort all the time*
These concepts were amazing to me, ESPECIALLY #3!
How many of us say that we have poor time management because we haven’t mastered the art of “Balance”?
Jokes on us!!!
“Balance” is the greatest time management myth. Do you know what “balance” means? It means applying equal effort to all things at all times. Really?? No wonder we feel so guilty when we fall short of that ideal “balance”. If balance is what we seek, we are set up for failure from the beginning.
MIND. BLOWN.
Lucky for us, there is still hope! Have you ever heard of the Pareto Principle?
If time management if one of your skills that has room for improvement, there are plenty of tools and resources to help you be successful. Like I said, it is probably the #1 thing I struggle with in my life currently, so I am right there with you!!
If you do NOT struggle with time management…I need you. Haha!
Typically when I’m writing an “On Draft” post, I’ll search around and read other articles to collect thoughts and inspiration. I knew for this week, it would be awesome to share some thoughts around volunteering as a young adult. In my search for thoughts and inspiration, I stumbled upon this article. I read it. Then I listened to it. Then read it again!
I stared at the screen for a little while before I realized that there was no way I could piece together a better article than the one I was reading.
This was hands down, one of (if not THE) best articles around volunteering as a young adult that I have ever read. The points in this piece are beautiful, encouraging and something we should all read.
I don’t want to shame you if you aren’t volunteering, I know we all just trying to take life day by day. However, this article at least will bring awareness to some REAL benefits of volunteering. I really hope you read it.
I have something really fun and special to share with you today. For our folks who have received the FREE subscription box in the past, this is a revamp of that experience! For those who are newer/have not received a FREE subscription box, this is an introduction for you!
Introducing: The 6 Pack!
ABOUT:
A FREE subscription box experience via mail or front door delivery, no matter where you live! “The 6 Pack” experience encourages you to think INSIDE the box. For each message series or theme, we provide a correlating FREE subscription box. “The 6 Pack” contains content that relates to the theme that allows for interactive conversations and activities. We ensure that the materials offered are practical, engaging, memorable, and fun. The items are designed for self-paced self reflection or group interaction.
THE NAME:
We chose the name “The 6 Pack” to align with our brewery theme. The subscription box has 6 tangible items in it that relate to the theme of the box. Along with the tangible items are “Staff Picks/Growth Materials”. Growth Co.’s leadership team consists of 6 amazing people – Julian, Layne, Lindsay, Sabrina, Hannah & Lexi. The Staff Picks consist of an intentional passage written by Lexi, paired with Reflection Questions, Bible Verses & Quotes chosen by the team – all centered around the theme of the box.
WHO’S THE 6 PACK FOR:
We offer “The 6 Pack” to all Growth Co. members. Its purpose is to serve as a resource to you, so it’s completely your decision if you’d like to receive it. Please know you are loved and welcomed into the Growth Co. family with or without a subscription to “The 6 Pack”! The same stands in reverse: you are more than welcome to receive “The 6 Pack” without participating in any gatherings (via zoom or in-person). If this is your only choice of involvement with Growth Co., we accept and respect that! We love having you be a part of the family – regardless of what it looks like!
HOW TO RECEIVE THE 6 PACK:
To sign up to receive the box – please text “pack” to (704)-476-1050 and fill in your information!
As always, we hope this is another pathway in which you can FILL YOUR CUP 🙂
I hope you had a great start to your week, and if not, it’s only Monday – plenty of time to turn the week around!
I’m currently on vacation with my husband and family for the first time this year. Tony and I have been married for almost 2 years and haven’t went on a real vacation together (we couldn’t afford a honeymoon during COVID – and still working on it). It has been AMAZING so far, but to be honest, I’m struggling to actually relax…
Do you feel like you struggle to relax? I feel guilty, or my brain continues to think of the million other things I could/should be doing. The world has forced us to “grind” all day everyday, without teaching us how to properly relax to create the perfect combination of work/life balance in our lives. I can’t speak for everyone, but I have personally fallen victim to believing we’ve been DISCOURAGED to learn how to enjoy simplicity. No one else is struggling to relax on this vacation, so maybe it’s just me!! 😂
I feel so guilty when I can’t be on my highest emotional, physical, intellectual functioning level at all times – this is so unhealthy. All day today, I’ve been wondering what I will sit here and type while I was TRYING to enjoy the beach (work free). It hit me like the rowdy waves of the ocean (which have totally kicked my ass) – why don’t we have a blog about learning to relax in our 20s/30s. This sounds all good and dandy, but I think there can also be a fine line between relaxing and being lazy/unproductive. I never want to be on the blurred line of those options, but I fight it so much, that I’m always on the complete opposite side of never relaxing AT ALL.
I don’t want this to be another cheesy blog about tips on how to relax.
I’d love for us to hear and share real life experiences from one another on how we’ve learned to relax over the years. OR, if you’re like me and you’re still struggling to learn this balance, share that as well.
I look forward to hearing from all of you, and invite you to write a post for “On Draft” regarding any life topics or funny stories you’d like to share that you believe can be transformational for someone else.
We believe this is a unique way to pour into and connect with ourselves and others in honest ways. We look forward to sharing this journey with you!
As always, it is our hope that you can #fillyourcup 🙂
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