The seasons are ever-changing as daylight hours lengthen and shorten and leaves shift their colors. Nature does not overthink how it is changing, it allows itself to change as it is meant to.
As humans our change is not always outwardly expressed or as dramatic as the seasons. Because of this it is important for us to take the time to acknowledge the ways in which we have changed.
As you become aware of the change in season, use it as a reminder to reflect on who you were and who you are.
Change is a normal part of life
Throughout life you are constantly changing: your appearance, your knowledge, your likes and dislikes, your views, your friends.
We often notice change when it’s something big, a new job, a different viewpoint we now hold after better understanding a topic, or a food we no longer crave. It can feel like a big deal when we realize we are not the person we used to be or thought we were. It can lead to us overthinking about what we want to change and what we don’t want to change.
When the big changes happen it affects us so much because most of our everyday lives we feel the same. When the change is small and happens slowly over time we may not notice it the same way. Sometimes big changes can be easier to accept than the small subtle shifts in who we are as a person. The big changes we brace and prepare for, whereas the smaller changes may initially go unnoticed and only become apparent over time.
Change is the constant companion that will follow us through life. We can try to ignore it or push it away, but it will continue to be there with us. Working to accept that change will happen allows us to not spend our time worrying and overthinking about all the change that is happening.
Allow yourself to change
Change can feel like we are abandoning who we were or a part of our identity. It’s admitting that we are not always the same and who we were years ago is not who we are today. It can also feel like a relief that we are not the same people we used to be. Even when the change is for the better, it doesn’t always make it easy.
Allowing yourself to change means you are going into the unknown. It means taking a look at who you are and where you are in life. Taking an honest look inward takes strength, we don’t always enjoy confronting certain aspects of ourselves, but doing so allows us to grow into the truest version of ourselves.
Accept that you have changed
Maybe you have changed for the better, maybe you have changed in ways that you are not as happy about.
For the parts that make you happy, embrace them and find ways to help them grow.
For the parts that you may not be as happy about, coming to terms with where you are right now is the first step to being able to move forward. You may want to ignore the parts of yourself you don’t like, it can feel easier than actually working on yourself. But that means the part of you that you don’t like just stays there, impacting your life each day.
Accepting the change does not mean you have to be content with person you currently are, it just means you accept the person you currently are, both the good and bad parts. It gives you a place to build from, when you are ready. There are no time limits on accepting the ways in which you have changed. Let it be a process that flows naturally and not one you try to push forward.
Others may not accept your change
Others may not be as accepting of the ways in which you have changed. This may be because they don’t want you to change or they don’t understand the change. When we have known people for a long time, it can be difficult to accept when others are no longer who they used to be.
At the end of the day, it is most important that you are accepting of the person you are. It doesn’t mean you are happy with every aspect of your life, it means you accept the place you are at right now.
Just as the seasons as destined to continuously change, so are we. What we can learn from the seasons is to not overthink the ways in which we are changing and to go with the flow. We are not mean to stay stagnant, we are meant to grow and learn and transform.
Simple steps you can take
Take the time to acknowledge your change
- As you notice the seasons changing, pause and acknowledge the change that has happened within your own life over the previous months.
- Don’t overthink and dwell on the change, but work to accept where you are right now.
- Allow yourself to change by embracing the parts of you that bring you fulfillment and happiness and letting go of the parts that weigh you down.
Allow others to change
- As important as it is for you to accept your own change, it is equally as important for you to accept others changing.
- Help others feel comfortable as they navigate the changes happening in their own lives.
- Understand that others changing means they may not take up the same space in your life that they once did.