3 Tell-Tale Signs of Invisible Growth |
Some of the most meaningful forms of growth an individual can experience happen beneath their conscious awareness. Typically, it registers first as discomfort, ambiguity, or even a sense of regression. When growth is happening at a person’s core level, they’re likely to underestimate it or misinterpret it entirely.
As a psychologist, I often see individuals who assume they’re “stuck” precisely when some of the most important internal shifts are underway. This is because the mind rarely announces these changes with clarity. Instead, they’re revealed indirectly through changes in how people respond to certain situations, rather than changes in what they can tangibly achieve.
Here are three research-backed signs that you may be growing in ways you can’t yet see.
Emotional certainty — or a lack thereof — is one of the most counterintuitive signs of growth. People often assume that healing or maturation should make them feel more confident in their reactions and judgments. Yet, research on cognitive and emotional development suggests the opposite. That is, as people grow, their internal models of the world become more refined and, in turn, less rigid.
A 2022 study published in Frontiers in Psychology notes that psychological maturity and wisdom are traits associated with an increased capacity for integrative thinking. This refers to the ability to hold multiple, sometimes conflicting perspectives simultaneously.
Often, this shift reduces our tendency toward black-and-white interpretations and replaces them........