As fall approached and summer faded, many things began to change. The deciduous trees began to change color and shed leaves, the wind became colder, and fall slowly took over its reign. A couple of months passed and fall faded into winter leaving very little signs of life left. The evergreens stood tall and proud, having kept their green coat throughout the bitter winter. More months passed and spring finally started poking through, bringing new life and beauty to be carried through summer and to once again go through the cycle.
Although we aren’t trees that lose leaves, we do go through different seasons. Life takes us on a journey where we meet different people and encounter many different experiences. But at what point does our season change?
When I was a child, I met one of my best friends. At the blooming age of four she came in to my life and has stuck around ever since. Don’t get me wrong, we fight like sisters and have had our ups and downs. But I know that I could call her at any given moment and she’d be there. I’ve had people in my life I thought I’d never lose. We talked about being in it for the long haul, never giving up on each other, etc. etc. But that isn’t the reality of it. Those people have come and gone and I’ve met very few who are in my life for the long haul.
I’m not the same person I was two years ago, so why would the people be? I was young and invincible, thinking life was about drinking and slowly killing myself. Now two years down the road, I see my life very differently. The best thing I’ve done for myself since I realized that we go through seasons is changing my “leaves”. As my seasons change from summer to fall, the people in my life change as well. I didn’t have the same type of guidance I do now because I wasn’t actively searching for it. My season for those people hadn’t come yet – but when it did, the season for the people I was choosing to party with quickly turned into winter and died off.
In taking a path to better myself, I’ve learned that saying “no” and choosing a new crowd is perfectly acceptable. I used to keep toxic people in my life out of fear of hurting someone’s feelings, when in all reality I was hurting myself. I was allowing myself to be surrounded with my past life and it was keeping me there, stagnant and alone, no matter how much I wanted to change. I’m not saying that I haven’t had or haven’t allowed people come back in to my life. I’ve gone months, sometimes even years without talking to someone due to changes in lifestyle. But usually that specific ‘leaf’ grew back because of a mutual understanding of the changes made in life.
If you’re trying to better yourself or are wanting to make lifestyle changes, look at the people you have in your life. Are they supportive and willing to be there for you, or are they going to laugh and continue to live the way you no longer want to? Are they going to take in to consideration the fact that you’re growing as a person, or are they going to choose to reject you because it’s different? Are they going to respect your changes and try to accommodate for them, or are they going to disregard your positive changes and tempt you into your old path?
My mother told me growing up,
“Show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are.“
As someone trying to improve, this statement means more now than it ever has. I challenge you to look at your support group. I challenge you to ask yourself if the people in your life are going to be there for the long haul, or if they’re just a season. Don’t be afraid to change seasons. Don’t be afraid of what people will think. Be afraid of staying stagnant and choosing to stay there because of fear. We all have the power to change seasons and grow new leaves.
So grow.
❤
The Learning Gyppie 