When I was 11 years old, my oldest brother left for college. When I was 14 years old, my middle brother did the same. It was at that point that I promptly decided I hated change. I liked the way things were. I liked living in the same house as my best friends. I liked having a private chauffer to school in the mornings. I liked music and laughter and games and everything that came with growing up with siblings.
But time never really stands still. People grow up. And things change.
And I hated it. I resisted it for a long time. I refused to see any advantage in changing situations and was content to sit around moping about how I hated change.
I am 21 years old. Sometimes, I think back to 11, 14, even 18 year old Liz. Would I want to be the exact same person now as I was then? Absolutely not.
Think about it.
Really think about it. Who were you four years ago? Maybe you were a little shorter. Maybe you had a different haircut. Maybe you were in a different relationship or maybe you had just moved to a new city. Maybe a whole lot of change was surrounding you every day.
Now think deeper. Think of who you were on a day-to-day basis. Think of the things that made you laugh…the things that made you angry…the things that made you cry. Would you really want to be the same person now?
One more exercise. Let’s go cliché. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Do you still want to be in the same place? Do you want to be doing the exact thing you are doing right now? Do you want to be exactly the same in every facet of life and personal growth?
Chances are, no.
Chances are you want to see something new. You want to explore. You want to embrace a wild adventure or a different experience. You want change.
Though we will seldom admit it in the moments when everything around us is shaking and we feel like we’re grasping the air at nothing, we do have to ultimately admit that we need that friction in our lives. Adversity is what gives life meaning. We need things to be different. We can’t live in a static world.
Change isn’t always welcome. It isn’t always easy. In fact, sometimes it’s like wandering into the scariest unknown without a guide. But always, it is what we need…whether we realize it then or not.
Today, both of my brothers live states away. And I miss them a lot. But every single day, as I turn off my alarm clock and drowsily stumble by our framed sibling photo, I know it is okay. We won’t ever ride the same school bus again. We will never share teachers or coaches or fight for the morning shower time before school. And that’s okay; because now, we’ll share stories of our favorite college professors. We’ll compare running work outs and only fight for a shower if we all end up sharing a hotel room for a family wedding. (Been there; done that).
Change doesn’t mean the world is ending. It just means a new world is about to blossom. Embrace it.