Areas of Growth for Central California Service Spouses
By Jana N. Yost
Today is the last day of May and tomorrow we begin June, already halfway through the year. Tis the season of transition. The school year is ending, people are moving, routines are shifting, and new chapters are beginning personally and professionally. In a Life of Service, these seasons can feel even heavier because so much of life is constantly changing around us, even when we are trying our best to stay afloat.
I originally wanted to write about a summer reset, but the more I reflected, the more my thoughts shifted toward growth instead. A few years ago, one of my clinical supervisors introduced the idea of focusing on areas of growth over change. It was a game changer for me personally and professionally. The word change often made me focus on what was wrong, what was lacking, or what needed to be fixed. Focusing on growth helped me approach life with more grace, self- awareness, and honesty. It reminded me that growth is ongoing and that I do not have to have everything figured out immediately.
When I think of the word growth, I think of green, new life, moving forward, and being open to the unknown. I think of accepting my faults and failures without allowing them to define me. From a clinical perspective, growth creates room for self awareness, emotional regulation, healthier coping skills, maturity, and reflection. It reminds us that development is ongoing and that we do not have to become entirely different people overnight.
Growth can also look like learning how to accept feedback without immediately becoming defensive. That does not mean every opinion about you is true, but it does mean pausing long enough to ask yourself if there is something worth learning from it. Defensiveness often comes from embarrassment, insecurity, fear, or feeling misunderstood. Growth allows us to listen, reflect, regulate our emotions, and decide what is useful without allowing feedback to completely define our identity or self worth.
As we move into June and the second half of the year, maybe the goal is not complete reinvention. Maybe the goal is simply continuing to focus on areas of growth that matter most. What is one area of growth you can focus on in your own life right now? Are you in a place where you can accept feedback and acknowledge there may still be room to grow? Some of the most meaningful growth happens quietly and over time.
Jana N. Yost is the founder of JNY Coaching & Consulting and writes about Life of Service, growth, transition, and community through both clinical insight and lived experience.
