You’re Allowed To Let People Down

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As you get older you start to realize that change is inevitable and that no matter how hard to try to stop it, it’s supposed to happen. Take it from me, a person whose worst fear is change, it can be good but it can certainly be scary.

Once I got into college I learned that this is the time that change happens the most, and that the girl you are at 18 is definitely not the girl I am at 21, and that’s okay. Not everyone is supposed to be the same person they were a year ago, or even 6 months ago. WE are constantly changing, growing, learning, developing, and changing and expanding our horizons. And frankly, if you are the same person you were 4 years ago, what have you gained?

I’ve learned a lot as I’ve grown, and not just that people change, but they’re allowed to change. You can’t expect someone to be the same person that they were last year because we all go through things and a whole year is a long time to be the same person you were before. In my opinion, if you let a whole year go by with no change, what have you learned? What have you gained?

Now I’m not saying changing drastically to someone that harms your own well being or others well being is the change you should seek, but I will be the first to admit that I have changed since I was 18, or 19, or even 20. I value things a lot differently now and I don’t let things bother me as much as I used to, and I don’t have the same interests, or the same wants as I did Freshman year. I’ve realized that drinking, and going out are not fun to me like they are to others, and that I enjoy exploring different towns rather than staying in one place. And I have certainly learned that this life is MINE and that I shouldn’t stay the same person to appease other people.

For a long time I tried so hard to be the girl that everyone wanted me to be, and the girl that everyone liked, but that isn’t me, nor has it ever been. I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve certainly hurt people along the way of my changing but my changing doesn’t mean I don’t care, it means that I’m finding myself. And as unfortunate as it is, when you find yourself you may lose some people along the way.

I’ve learned that all to much recently, people come and they go and if they’re meant to be in your life, no matter how far they stray, they will always find a way back to you. And a good friend once told me that when things happen or people leave or you move on, “they’re not apart of the journey anymore”. And to me that is very valuable information.

This life is a journey. It is not a race, it’s not a competition, and it’s certainly not a contest of who you can please the most. This life is yours and this life is what you make of it. A journey is never easy and it’s never complete, and you are bound to hit bumps and lose people. But as long as you stay true to who you are and never take an opportunity to learn and grow for granted, then this journey will be a changing experience, but one that will be worth it.

People will tell you you’ve changed, and that’s just because you’re not the person that they first met, but that’s okay. You’re allowed to change, you’re allowed to grow, and most importantly you’re allowed to be your own person because that’s apart of the journey.