Sometimes It Takes More Bravery To Walk Away
I’m sure you’ve heard the quote “Respect yourself enough to walk away from what no longer serves, grows you, or makes you happy.” It may be one of the most cliché sayings in the book, but over the past year I have learned how accurate it really is.
If we weren’t meant to grow up or move on then we would all still be in kindergarten; toddlers coloring out of the lines, taking naps and shopping at Kids GAP. Now, I still may take an occasional afternoon nap but I’ve fortunately outgrown the other childish customs.
I doubt you’ve had the same goals and dreams as you did when you were a kid which is why your life path is meant to adjust with those changing visions. Whether you walk away from certain situations, jobs or bad relationships you must keep in mind what is best for you. Your life should be about constant self-growth, especially your 20’s.
Think about it, no one wants to be working at a job for years without any type of promotion or new responsibility, especially at an entry level job right out of college. So if you feel like you are underappreciated or even in a workplace you don’t see yourself growing at then MOVE ON. It may be difficult at first because after a while everyone reaches a certain level of comfort after being at the same place for a while but if this job isn’t where you see yourself growing in the long run it may be time to find a better fit.
I understand that no job is perfect but if it is not challenging you or teaching you new skills then what is the point? Ok, you may be thinking the point is to pay the bills. However, that should not be all a job does. It’s about finding a job you love that turns into a career you love. Do not feel guilty about leaving a company, more than likely they got by before you and they will afterwards. If they don’t see your potential, then guaranteed another place will.
The same thing goes for relationships, friendly or romantic. Whether you want to believe it or not there are some people in your life who are just not good for you. Much like with a job, you get comfortable with certain people and just because of this comfort level you feel like they should stay put in your life. If you’ve been in a relationship with someone for years, or in this day and age, the dreaded “talking” stage with someone, and there appears to be no progress there probably needs to be a change. I know some people aren’t fans of ultimatums but personally I am.
They can make people think quickly and clearly about what they really want in their life. They are forced to make an immediate decision that can create a new perspective on the situation. It also can make people realize what they don’t want to lose, or on the other hand what they could live without. It may be (probably will be) heartbreaking in the moment to walk away from someone you love but there’s someone out there who would want to move forward with you and you owe it to yourself to find them. Timing is everything and timing is not meant to stand still. There is a reason no one can constantly just live in one moment forever, it’s unrealistic.
Friendships work in very similar ways. I’m sure everyone has been victim in a toxic friendship of some sort. There are some people that just do not mesh and that is ok. It’s life. Not every person in the world is meant to get along. If a friend does not support you and surround you with positive memories, then it may be time to cut the ties. It could be sad at first realizing there will be one less person in your life but you will soon realize it was meant to be. Friends are meant for you to enjoy your time with them, not dread or anticipate drama each time they are around.
Over the past year myself I made a lot of changes to my circle of friends. When you are younger it’s “cooler” to be most popular, surrounded by tons of people (whether they are good friends or not) but as you get older you realize it is much more important to have a few people who are loyal to you. It may sound harsh, but I no longer miss or even really notice the friends I let go over the past few months because clearly they weren’t contributing real friendship to my life. I made the right choice to MOVE ON. Some people are only meant to be in your life temporarily to teach you who your real friends are.
Just like editing a paper, blog post or project you must edit some parts of your life. It may not be the easiest decision but the ones that are right rarely are. In my humble opinion, it takes much more bravery to walk away from certain things in your life than to allow everything to stay the same. 