Think aloud
Whether we like it or not, we all change with time. Although I believe that some of the essential parts of our personalities always remain the same, there are things we learn through the years. There are also things that we go through that shape us into different people than we used to be.
Sometimes, this change is hard to accept because we feel like we are losing ourselves. But, it is important for you to look at that change as a part of your personal growth and as a way of building the best possible version of yourself.
Although you maybe don’t see it, if you are experiencing the following signs, you are definitely growing as a person.
1. Your circle of friends has changed
They say that if a friendship lasts more than seven years, it will probably last a lifetime. You are proud that you still hang out with some of your childhood or high school friends, but sometimes you feel like your paths are different now. This is one of the first signs you are starting to grow as a person.
At first, you feel guilty that spending time with your friends doesn’t fulfill you like it used to. But, with time, you realized that you are not compatible with them as you were before.
That doesn’t mean you should cross them out of your life—after all, these are the people who were there for you in good and bad times and are part of your life, but you are allowed to change the circle of people you spend your time with.
Sometimes, the thought of spending all of your free time with your old friends is depressing and you are looking forward to spending some more quality time with new people. This doesn’t mean that you’ve betrayed them—it just means that you changed as a person and that you are embracing this new, more mature self.
2. Your interests have changed
In a similar way your circle of friends has changed, and so have your interests. You find yourself enjoying different things than in the past.
When you were younger, the highlight of your week was going out clubbing on Saturday night. But now you enjoy staying home and reading a book or watching a movie, or just doing nothing. And you are not ready to do something you don’t enjoy doing just to please someone else.
It is because you have learned it is perfectly acceptable to say no to things you don’t feel like doing. Besides, your hobbies and the way you would like to spend your free time have also changed.
You are trying to spend more quality time working on yourself and not waste it on meaningless things, which will not bring you any improvement. Your old self might consider you boring and not fun to be around, but it only means that you are growing mentally.
3. You think about the future
It’s always fun to live each day like it is your last and enjoy every breath you take, but sometimes, there comes a time in our lives when we have to think about the future. You are trying to spend your time building yourself personally and professionally.
It’s not that you are not living your life to the fullest, you are simply investing in your future. You are not careless about your money, time, and energy like you used to be. You’ve become aware of the fact that everything you are doing at the moment will reflect on your future in one way or another.
This means that you have finally grew up and matured. Although these thoughts sometimes make you anxious and you would rather be carefree again, they are actually a great sign, because they show you’ve begun the path of your own self-growth.
4. You’ve cut off some toxic people out of your life
One of the most important signs of getting to know your true self is putting yourself as a priority. And you can never accomplish this until you cut off toxic people and unhealthy relationships out of your life.
This doesn’t mean that you’ve become selfish or self-centered, it only means that you know that you have to appreciate yourself because otherwise, no one else will.
You’ve tried to help and fix these people and you know you’ve done the best you can, but now it’s time to move on. It’s time to get rid of that negative energy because, no matter how much you care about toxic people, they can only pull you down with themselves. It’s time to think positively and good things will follow.
You know what you want from life and have clear goals and you don’t need people around you who won’t support you. Yes, letting go of someone you love is always painful, but it has to be done if it’s for your own good.
5. You question yourself
The old you made all the decisions in her life following only her heart and emotions. Although you are still nurturing your sensitive side and are more than proud of it, you’ve come to the conclusion that sometimes you need to think twice before you act.
This has led you to being surprised by some decisions you are making. You’ve spent a lot of time questioning some of the decisions you’ve made in the past that were obviously wrong for you, but felt right at the moment, and that affected your future. And, after a lot of heartache, you’ve finally realized that sometimes you need to allow your reason to lead you.
Now, you think through everything you do. You don’t let people in your life as easily as you did before and you don’t trust everyone. You don’t let yourself be influenced by others and you want to make sure you’ve thought well about every choice you are about to make, because you know you are the only one who will bare all the consequences of each decision.
6. You are interested in different types of guys
It’s like your perspective of guys has totally changed. In the past, the only thing that mattered to you was whether your potential boyfriend is charming enough and whether you are feeling butterflies when you are around him. And unfortunately, that has brought you to numerous heartbreaks.
You were involved with guys who clearly never deserved you, but you were often afraid to walk away, because you thought you will never be able to get over them. Those times have passed.
You know you are a strong individual who doesn’t need a man to complete her, but if the right guy comes along, you know what qualities you are looking for in him. You don’t need a boy in your life, you need a man who will be your equal partner in everything.
7. You don’t get annoyed as easily
If you’ve learned to prioritize things and people in your life, that is one of the first signs that you are getting to know yourself and that you are growing as a person. In the past, everyone had the ability to hurt you and each remark could upset you.
But, as you get older, things are starting to change. You are still there for people who need you, but you don’t allow everyone’s problems to consume you as much as they did before. You simply don’t allow yourself to get annoyed as easily.
You have learned what is important in life and you refuse to spend your time or energy on every little thing. This doesn’t mean that you’ve become less sensitive, it just means that you’ve learned what life is all about and that you finally know how to appreciate yourself.