The notion that 2020 has been a year of change is not new. We all know we’ve been forced to change our way of thinking, our habits, our social and work lives. That doesn’t have to be a bad thing, though.
The universe has given us all the chance to grow and evolve, and we should take advantage of this golden opportunity. Never before has the entire world taken a pause all at once. It was almost as if we hit a reset button and reminded ourselves what is truly important in life.
This week, I’ve been on vacation for the first time in 2020, and it’s given me a chance to see how I’ve evolved as a person. A few of my friends from college came together (safely, of course) to spend time as a group for the first time since graduation. As I looked around at my friends laughing and being together again, it brought me back to my college days. I could clearly see, though, how much we’ve grown as individuals and as a group.
We’ve reminisced about the past, of course, but we’ve also talked about and looked forward to the present and future. Seeing all of my friends—the people I was with constantly for four years—come together again and talk about our separate lives, careers, homes, etc. has been such a powerful and grounding experience. We’re all so different than the people we were at graduation. We’re living our lives. We’re out in the world trying to make the most of it. I love seeing how we’ve grown, where life has taken each of us, and looking forward to what’s still to come.
I used to be so afraid of change. I feared that leaving college and moving far from all my closest friends meant I would lose all that I had gained in those four years. I feared our friendships wouldn’t be the same. I feared I wouldn’t be able to find my path with no one guiding me but myself. I am so grateful, though, that this path has led me to growth. My relationships, my career, my perspective on life have evolved so much in the past year, and that’s okay. Life is all about learning from new experiences and building on those experiences.
It might be frightening to let yourself grow and evolve, but it’s so important. You are allowed to change. You are allowed to get better.
I encourage you all to take some time to reflect on your growth and evolution as an individual. Recognize the changes you’ve experienced, and recognize that it’s okay.
Stay healthy. Stay evolving.
Xo,
Kayla W