Growing pains are a natural part of life. Everyone experiences physical growing pains at some point in their life, but as you grow older, those pains become more emotional and spiritual. They’re a sign that you’re headed in the right direction, that you’re shifting your perspective and adopting a new mentality.

It hurts to leave things behind in that process, though, which is why it’s important to have techniques to help you push through those growing pains — and emerge on the other side a better you.

Don’t Look to the Past

Don’t even look to the future. To stay grounded and on the right path to success, you have to stay centered in the present moment. That might mean feeling your pain, but you should never make a habit of suppressing your feelings. They will catch up to you eventually.

When you’re trying to push through emotional growing pains, as with physical growing pains, it’s vital to recognize that you’re becoming someone you weren’t before. You’re growing. You’re evolving. You’re changing—hopefully for the better. And looking back on who you were while you’re transitioning into the person you were meant to be won’t help you break out of your metaphorical cocoon.

Lean on Your Support System

A solid support system makes all of the difference in the world. If you have people that you can lean on and trust to support you while you’re experiencing growing pains, then there’s nothing you can’t do.

Whenever you feel like you’re on the cusp of giving up, reach out to your friends, your family, your life coach, your mentor, whoever you consider to be in your network of support, and let them know you need them in this moment. If you’ve surrounded yourself with the right kinds of people, they’ll no doubt have your back and see you through these pains.

Never Give Up

One of the worst things you could possibly do when you’re hitting an emotional growth spurt is to give up halfway through the process. You’ll never reach your full potential if you set goals, get part of the way to achieving them, and then give up and go back to what’s comfortable because you couldn’t tolerate the growing pains.

It may seem like you have miles and miles to go before you reach your destination, but giving up in the middle of the woods will only leave you stranded and out of breath.

In the end, giving up hurts you more than anything else could. Keep pushing through the pain; you won’t be sorry.