Evolution of the 30-something.

It’s a weird thing when you wake up one day and realize that you may be a slightly different person than you were 10 years ago, 5 years ago…hell, even yesterday.  So much of our 20s is spent hammering out the fundamentals of “who we are” that when you reach 30, you feel pretty good about your sense of self.

What they don’t tell you is that the evolution doesn’t stop at 30.

The truth is we are forever changing.  No matter what route in life you choose, you never stop.  Your inner circle?  You either grow closer, form stronger bonds or you begin to distance yourself and form a new circle.

Your spare time?  All of a sudden, things that used to seem so normal (even fun) seem mundane, wasteful, pointless and you find there are other ways you’d rather be spending your short time here on earth.

The relationship?  Well, that’s the true test.  Can it withstand the evolution?  I believe it can, but only if both parties evolve together which is not always the case.

Not everyone wants to evolve.  Some even fight it, tooth and nail.  They hold onto the past with an iron grasp and may even see progression through life’s stages as a failure, as if they gave up, as if they’re officially “old.”  They stand rigid in old routines, hoping to hang onto what semblance of normalcy they recall and avoid the stereotype of which they’re so afraid.

But evolution doesn’t have to mean fitting into a stereotypical life.

Evolution can simply mean tapping into a part of your inner self that may have been lying dormant for years, decades even, and letting it loose.  A part that you were too afraid to foster earlier because you didn’t know how, were worried what others may think, or terrified to stand on unfamiliar ground.

What are stereotypes anyway?  No doubt there’s some truth there, but only because certain subsets give them validity.  And that’s fine!  Living an authentic life is relative.

Learning to let go of old routines isn’t easy, especially when the routines are habit, but it can be immensely freeing – even if you find yourself doing it subconsciously.  Sometimes you don’t even realize an evolution has taken place until you’re smack dab in the middle of it; no choice but to ride the wave and see where you end up.

Hopefully, when the waters calm and your feet are safely planted on the shore once more, you’ll find yourself surrounded by the important people in your life…ready to walk the shore with you in whatever direction you choose.