About
The Way We Grow is a thought-provoking space for intentional personal growth.
Through original content and a curated personal growth book shop, The Way We Grow helps you understand yourself, grow through life’s challenges, and create your better-than-ever life.
Here, you’ll find thoughtful exploration around three core areas of growth: self, relationships, and work & entrepreneurship—the parts of life that tend to shape our experiences the most, whether things are flowing beautifully or feeling completely off the rails.
The ideas shared here draw from many growth modalities, including psychology, therapy, spirituality, and metaphysical philosophy—all grounded in heart, reflection, and personal experience.
Our Values
Everything we publish, share, or recommend is guided by our values.
1 - Integrity
Honesty and genuine care for growth always come first. Nothing is shared simply for the sake of gaining clicks, views, or generating sales. Any partnerships or affiliate relationships are transparently disclosed. Everyone who interacts with this space is held to a standard of respect and civility. Articles and posts and human written.
2 - Courage
Growth requires courage. Here, we share ideas boldly and thoughtfully—pushing the envelope when necessary in service of deeper understanding, healing, and a better-than-ever life.
Growth often asks us to become different so we can glow, create, and fully enjoy what matters to us.
The (Actual) Way We Grow
The Way We Grow explores 5 essential elements of growth:
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Getting to know our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors reveals where we are at, what’s important to us, and what our next authentic step might be.
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Our relationships—with both their joys and their challenges—teach us powerful lessons about ourselves and our own growth points.
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What feels “normal” or typical in our lives, relationships, and environments often point to the very areas change wants to happen. Questioning what we’ve accepted as normal is often where transformation begins—the beginning of living the change we desire.
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The life we desire often requires new or different choices. Getting clear on the changes we want—and who we want to become—helps guide those choices.
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Growth becomes real when we embody it. When we live as the person who has made those changes, our better-than-ever life begins to unfold.
“Personal growth can sometimes feel overwhelming, but when we are open and intentional, it can become one of the most exciting and rewarding journeys we can take—a journey toward greater peace, joy, and freedom. As a self-proclaimed lifelong student of personal growth, I’ve spent years both creating and consuming personal growth content. Some of it has changed my life beyond recognition. Other times, I’ve been left feeling underwhelmed or with an “icky” feeling.
I created The Way We Grow because I wanted to see a place online rooted in integrity and courage—a place for people who truly want to learn, grow, and lead a better life. A life our soul came here to live. It’s important to me that The Way We Grow is a place you can trust and visit when you feel called to grow intentionally. Enjoy, stay curious, and have fun exploring!”
- Gillian
The Way We Grow : The Story + Creator
Let’s grow.
Gillian Shields (M.Sc. Psychology & Health) is a Canadian author, transformational teacher, and the creator of The Way We Grow. A lover of emotions, forests, everything autumn, and the color burgundy, she likes to retreat to cozy, mood-filled places to think deeply about life, relationships, and what they are telling us. With a natural curiosity and drive, she seeks to understand the deeper truths of who we really are, what we truly need and want, and how we can create a little magic in our souls and lives.
Her own journey includes breaking free from generational trauma, healing unhealthy relationship patterns, and challenging the damaging beliefs about self-worth and success that often run rampant in our social environments. With a cherished obsession for the human mind, Gillian loves uncovering patterns that lead to breakthroughs. Her work blends psychology, personal experience, spirituality, and metaphysical philosophy. She is the author of several personal growth books, including Dear Haters, Happy Boundaries, When Family Isn’t Everything, and more.
You can find her books and work here.