Welcome to the Grow Inward Podcast, I am your host Adrian Petrillo.
I want to extend a very warm welcome out to all my listeners and thank you so much for being here for a brand new season of the grow inward podcast. I must admit that I have struggled a bit when thinking about this new season and how I would like that to look? There is so much that I would love to explore, and I want to also begin inviting in some guests on the show for some different perspectives. I don’t feel quite ready to dive into that just yet, but I do hope to get there soon enough.
There are some additional topics that I would like to just speak about on my own, things that are very much a part of my unique perspective. I fully acknowledge that we all have our own biases, and I am certainly no different, but I do believe that I have some unique perspectives worth exploring a bit further which will help you know a bit more about me personally.
Doing a podcast has been interesting and challenging, and I do tend to be quite critical of myself in many ways. I question how much value I bring to the table at times, mainly because my podcast is rather simple compared to so many others that I truly love and enjoy. There are so many bright and amazing people out there who do absolutely amazing research and work, not to mention the amazing storytelling and interviews around every conceivable topic you can imagine. It truly is remarkable, so I feel like a small fish in a very big ocean without a doubt.
With all that being said, many of those qualities that I admire in so many others took a great deal of practice and effort, and there is no reason to believe that I cannot also achieve those same things if I also put in a reasonable amount of practice and effort, and that is what I am doing. Over time, I am bound to have some success. And if I am being honest, having the courage to even get up and share my own opinion does feel like a success already, because it has been a bit of stretch for me to do even that much. I am a fairly shy and reserved person in many ways, but I think that all of us have things which we are passionate about in some way or another. These are precisely the kind of things that become so much easier to share and discuss, regardless of the medium we choose to utilize, or the perceptions we might have about our own authority to speak on any such matter, because we do care deeply about them.
The name Grow Inward has always felt so right to me, it perfectly captures something which I personally consider to be the most valuable gift that every single human being has been given, and that is the ability to look deep within ourselves to connect with and reflect on what it means to be conscious. It opens a door to a greater awareness, one that reaches far beyond our mortal selves, and yet a place that we all have available to us to do with it as we choose. I believe this space within us contains all the answers we seek and ultimately exists to help us discover our true potential. I have always held the strong conviction that true human potential is so far beyond what most of us believe is even possible that the vast majority of us reject it. Not because we don’t want to believe it, but because the proof we seek hasn’t presented itself to us in current times.
I think a common mistake that we all make is limiting ourselves to only looking for answers to life in our present time and place. That is not to say that we cannot find answers to many of our predicaments here and now, what I mean by this is that we ignore many examples of the proof we need which have already happened throughout history. We will come back to this, because I think it is a very important point that I hope to expand upon in this new season of the podcast.
I mention these initial opening remarks to illustrate a couple of important points leading into this new season. The first point I would like to make is that the subjects that I discuss on this podcast around inner growth, creating and expanding the connection to yourself and others, studying and developing practices that help you to improve your life, appreciating and learning from the natural world, and allowing spirituality to be an important and integral part of your life, these are the things that I am very passionate about. They have improved my life immeasurably, and they continue to slowly improve my life more and more over time. I want these same things for you, and I can only hope that my passion for these subjects serves as an inspiration and motivation that speaks to you in a way that you feel invited to try them for yourself.
The second point I would like to make is that the incredible potential that I believe we are all capable of is something I want to encourage each of you to explore. I believe this is different for all of us, but together we can unlock this amazing potential if we are faithful and determined, and if we take the time to create and interact with a community of like minded people who work from this place within our hearts and minds for the good of ourselves and humanity. This is something I would be so incredibly proud to have spent my energy on in this life, this is something that I would love to leave behind as a beautiful example for others. We are all so much better than we are led to believe, and we must stand together and prove this to those who need it. I am inviting you to please do this for you and with me, and I would like you to reach out and have a conversation with me if this speaks to you. There is link below if you would like to have that conversation, and I would be so happy to speak with you more.
These are just some of my own motivations and views that I really wanted to state up front this season. What’s kind of funny is that I have so few listeners at this point that I doubt many people will even hear this, but I sure hope that as I continue there will be more momentum in that regard. I am sure there are many others out there who share some of these thoughts and views, and they want to find their people as much as I do. I just can’t wait to speak with more people that can relate, I love hearing other people’s stories. I think back to when I stumbled onto this path of inner growth and personal development, and despite everything I have learned and all the ways I have grown, I am still just learning as I go ya know? So much of what I have done has been done all alone, but that is something I like about doing this podcast. I feel like I can share some of what I have learned, and I look forward to others sharing what they have learned with me. It’s a really fun and challenging journey, and doing it together just feels better. It doesn’t matter if it’s often behind a screen or a microphone, it still has value and I appreciate the opportunity very much.
As time goes on, I find more and more value in this work. I am not sure about you, but things do feel like they are accelerating at an ever quickening pace? When I take that under consideration as if it were in fact actually true, the value of this type of work becomes increasingly clearer to me. I say this because it feels pretty obvious to me that the systems that we find ourselves living under are simply not sustainable for the long term. I think we have built a house of cards in many ways, one that will be very difficult to navigate when the music finally does stop. Now I don’t want to be a Debbie downer, but I would argue that this moment might be closer than most people realize? I hope I am wrong, but it sure feels like there is a convergence of things that all have the potential to go horribly wrong, and any of these could easily come unraveled at any moment?
I have put a lot of thought into this, and it isn’t too hard to imagine honestly. There is just no way that perpetual growth can continue forever, it simply isn’t possible. We have become very accustomed to this model and system of living, and we have an intricate web of supply chains that deliver everything we need for daily life. What happens when the food, fuel, products, and daily supplies that run our economies become difficult if not impossible to obtain or deliver? What happens when certain resources needed to produce many goods or services begin to dwindle or disappear? If you take a good look at the dwindling numbers around some of the most critical resources that we need for life as we know it today, it is sobering to say the least. There are some real issues coming to a head in the not too distant future, and it isn’t going to be easy to adjust after a lifetime of always having everything you need.
Whether or not you believe this, or if it actually materializes in our lifetimes, the point I would like you to take away from this is that there are things you can do now that will benefit you greatly in life, regardless of everything happening around you in the world. If there is one thing you do have control over, it is yourself. I think it is so easy to get caught up in all of these things happening around us in the world, the news and media we are constantly bombarded with can leave us feeling sad and hopeless at times, and it is completely understandable. I have really struggled with this in my own life at times, and I haven’t always done the best job of tuning them out. I have felt very hopeless at times about all of the negativity and depressing news in the world, but I do realize that you must learn to separate yourself from the things that you cannot control, and to be very careful about the information you are allowing in because it can influence your thoughts and feelings.
It is for these reasons that I want to offer some solutions that are well within your control, and these will serve you very well regardless of the external circumstances happening all around you. These are things that in my view are very needed in our world today, both for ourselves and others. We are being divided and turned against each other, and it doesn’t take much effort to see that what we are doing is not working. So, what can you do?
Well, let’s get back to the subjects I love most in this world. I created this podcast for these reasons, and they are wonderful ways that we can begin building something new. There is nothing super complicated here, just some time tested and simple ways that will improve every aspect of your life and your sense of well-being, and it all is a matter of connections. Look, there is no denying the fact that humans thrive best when they feel connected. I believe there are three types of connections that will change everything for you, and those are spirituality, nature, and community.
Let’s begin with spirituality, because it really is the most special one in my mind and it also can be tied directly to the other two in so many different ways. Spirituality can mean many different things to people, and I don’t think any of them are wrong if they are meaningful to you personally. For the sake of clarity, let me tell you what it means to me to the extent that I am able to put that into words. Spirituality to me is the active seeking, connecting to, and merging with, something beyond ourselves. It is something that we each have deep within us which we can find through the process of inner reflection and growth. It is the practice of opening ourselves to discovering these profoundly deep connections within ourselves so that we may learn to overcome our many self imposed limitations, and to ultimately reach our highest potential by becoming one with god or the creator.
The entirety of spirituality is an incredibly difficult thing to put into words, but this is how I would describe it from my own perspective and what it means to me. I do think this is the most special of connections because it is one that offers us the most peace within ourselves and our daily lives. This is a difficult place in so many ways and I believe that having a center within yourself that you can always come back to where you feel connected to something more, well that is very comforting to me. I also feel that by taking an active role in turning your attention within and connecting to the deeper parts of what it means to be conscious and human provides us all with a sense of purpose and appreciation. I like to sit in meditation and consider some of these deeper questions and connections, and it is constantly evolving and changing, and yet it brings me to a familiar place that provides a great deal of comfort as well.
I believe this can exist for each of us, regardless of our own unique views or affiliations. We can all connect with something beyond ourselves and find profound meaning in those connections that we do establish on our own terms. I find this to be one of the most beautiful aspects of spirituality, all are welcome, all are valued, and all who practice are rewarded. Take this comfort and hold it close to your heart as you step into your own practice, it will enrich your life greatly if you allow it to be a part of your life.
I would also add that spirituality is something that I think is missing in many peoples lives today, and I believe that this can leave them feeling very empty and lonely in many ways. I would simply offer that if you do feel that way and you have no spiritual practice or connection, it may be well worth the effort to establish one. It doesn’t have to look any particular way and you don’t need any formal instructions, just sit in silence with yourself and try connecting with something beyond yourself. If it feels awkward, you are still doing just fine. Be patient with yourself and have a little faith that this is time well spent, just practice turning your attention inward with your questions and it will certainly reveal something to you that will help you make more sense of it over time.
The second connection that I would like to mention is your connection with nature. This is such an important connection, and one that my fellow nature lovers will attest to whole heartedly. For those of us lucky enough to live in proximity to beautiful and quiet places of escape it truly is a blessing, but it is by no means absolutely necessary to benefit just the same. A simple walk outside where there are some trees or gardens or grass is also incredibly beneficial. If you are in proximity to somewhere that you can get away and out onto a trail or near a river somewhere, that is also great. Maybe you can even go outside on a rooftop if you find yourself in a busy city and you need to find a little escape.
There are all kinds of options, but I do think spending more time in nature is really important. Nature is a great place to observe the connections between living systems and how they operate, but also how some of these processes play out in so many different ways. Observing nature was done in so many ways by so many different people, and those connections provided very meaningful experiences and insights in many cases. By removing yourself from your busy life once in a while and spending some time in nature, it gives you a great opportunity to think a bit more clearly about things. It helps you to relax and let go of many of the stresses that you experience daily. Just walking through a green area can be extremely calming and can significantly improve your mood in short order.
I am a nature nut, I go out on long backpacking trips or hike way out into the mountains to go fly fishing, and I always come away from it feeling refreshed and much more clear headed. I would invite you to do everything you can to start spending more time outside, even if it is just a short walk at lunch each day. You might be very surprised at the positive effects that this connection can have in your life.
The third connection that I submit to you is that of community. Now this can mean a few different things, such as your circle of friends or your family maybe. It could also literally be your local community wherever you live. In fact, I would recommend that you expand and strengthen all of these connections as much as possible. These personal connections can often feel most important to us, after all we are wired for connection as humans, and being social is something that we all benefit greatly from.
There are so many good reasons to strengthen these connections, and most of them, when healthy, tend to have very positive benefits on our health and well-being. They can also serve as a very strong foundation of support when we experience difficult moments or stretches of time in our lives. We need to feel like we have others we can turn to for support and love, and it is also great for just some good old companionship. Try taking a friend out with you into nature or to do some exercise even. It can be much more motivating when you have some good company, and everyone benefits.
Beyond the obvious mentions here, I would submit that if we do begin to experience breakdowns in society or systems or supply chains, or whatever, social capital could end up being one of your most valuable assets. Many of us have become increasingly separated and unwilling to come together, but this will not serve us in the future. We need to begin coming together, and we need to encourage others to do the same. We need to help each other get past all of these divisions we have been so wrapped up in and work from a place of forgiveness and caring instead. It sounds trite, but our social bonds are extremely important and they are being absolutely destroyed in todays world. This is unacceptable and we are all better than this, it’s time to let go of all these labels and petty arguments and work to strengthen our connections. We need each other, and if we just took the time to have an honest connection we would see that we aren’t so different in most cases.
I think that if we take these three connections seriously and really begin to foster these in our own lives we can make a massive ripple effect that could be surprising at the very least, and completely unbelievable at best. The best part of all of these is that regardless of everything happening around you at any given moment, these three areas of connection can significantly improve and enrich not only your life, but also the lives of those around you.
In the final episode of this podcast last season I spoke about energy in motion and I attempted to explain the ideas of mindset, movement, and meditation in a way that connected the dots between them. The reason I bring this up is because the concepts of connection that I speak about here fit perfectly into that model as well. This is because when we begin to focus on inner work and development, connections are the threads which connect all of your work together in a way that you can see the larger picture, a tapestry of your life if you will.
There are endless pieces to the puzzle of life, and as humans we are constantly looking for ways to fit those pieces together in a way that makes sense to us, to find those connections. Movement once again comes to the front and center, because we must move our thoughts and actions in a direction that helps us get to where it is that we would like to ultimately be. By weaving deeper connections between ourselves, nature, and our community, we strengthen our efforts and fortify them with the very essence of what we value most as human beings.
I think that so often we are given this image of the world that we are all too far gone, or that we can’t heal our differences and make things better. We are led to believe that change isn’t possible or that things are too big to affect or change, but this simply is not the only truth available to us, it is but one truth. Yes we can change things, and yes we can make things better, and surprisingly some of these very simple things can make some of the biggest differences in our lives and the lives of others. We overcomplicate so much of our lives, and so often it just isn’t necessary.
I don’t know what the future holds, but I know we can start to really shake things up in a positive way if we begin with re-establishing some of these very important and necessary connections between ourselves and others. We should also not forget that the work we choose to do in the areas of mindset, movement, and meditation can change and improve things for us all at a very fundamental level, they are also important aspects of the connections that we can create between ourselves and others. I don’t think this is an oversimplification, these things are meaningful and effective and I want to invite you to give them a chance and spread them far and wide.
I mentioned that I haven’t garnered much of an audience on this podcast to date, but if you are listening to this and these messages hit home for you, please share a comment on the podcast. It really does help and even better, use the link below to send me an email and share your thoughts and ideas. I would really love to have a conversation with you, I sincerely want to connect with you so please don’t be shy! I have already tried that, it really doesn’t help you build those connections (laughs). I am so happy to have you back for this new season of the Grow Inward Podcast. We’ve got some work to do folks, so let’s do this!
Until next time, never underestimate the power you have within you, and keep growing inward.
