5-Step Model of Growth
In Green Psychology we make a clear distinction between “change,” which does not always lead to growth, and “growth,” which always leads to change. To promote continuous growth we use this 5-Step model.
Awareness
Awareness is the starting place to free ourselves from habituated behaviors, outdated beliefs, and sleeping walking through our lives.
Acceptance
Acceptance is a full acknowledgment of “what is.” This is much easier to accomplish when we view ourselves without being judgmental. Green Psychology makes this possible because Perceptual Language eliminates praise and blame.
Ask
Asking key questions, such as: “how do I want to conduct myself?” or “what’s the best thing I can do in this situation?” or “what is it that I most value?” or, “what do I want to have happen in the next five minutes?” or “. . . in the next five years?”—helps us realign our actions with our intentions.
Await
Awaiting is something we—in Western culture—tend not to be very good at. But this is an essential part of the growth process. This is the time during which we allow our unconscious to integrate, to make meaning in new ways, to digest new experiences—and it is not the same as procrastinating.
Act
Acting in a new way is how we reward ourselves—demonstrating that we have grown, we have learned, and we have matured. We declare, through deed or word, that we are different than we were five years ago or five minutes ago.
