It's Ok To Change! It Means You're Evolving

Welcome to another edition of my Weekly Journal! I use this space to share a bit about jewelry, and a lot about my journey from lawyer to jewelry business owner. In this week's journal entry, I want to talk about change and our ability to change whenever and for whatever reason we want. I was chatting with a friend earlier today and she reminded me of a question I used to get over and over again when I first quit my lawyer job. Friends, family members, acquaintances, and co-workers would ask, "But you're so good at being a lawyer, why would you want to leave?" It was so indicative of their own state of mind. Humans hate change! I guess that's just the way we're built. We'd rather stay in a job we hate than muster up the courage to reach for something higher. What's that famous quote, "Better the devil you know than the devil you don't?" Yes, something like that. In this week's journal entry I want to ensure you that it is perfectly acceptable to change your career (or anything else for that matter) at any point, whether you're 28 or 58. 

It's perfectly acceptable to change your career even if you're further on in your years. I've heard so many people say, "I'm too old to change now." What?! No. If you're still alive on this planet, then that means your growing isn't finished yet. Period. And maybe that change is exactly what you need to grow into the next best version of yourself. We tend to put more emphasis on all that can go wrong. We tend to think more about how uncomfortable we'll be making a big change. But what if the entire world opens up for you when you make the leap? That's what happened to me when I started grace + hudson at age 37 and I've never been happier. Side note: I also look 10 years younger than I did practicing law - stress does crazy things to you! 

It's also perfectly acceptable to change your career even if you're really good at the one you have now. I'm good at deveining shrimp, so does that mean I should do that for a living? No! (Sorry for the gross reference - I live by the ocean and we get the best shrimp here!). Just because I'm good at something doesn't mean it's the way I want to spend 40+ hours per week. And that's perfectly acceptable! Moreover, humans (even the not-so-smart ones) are generally pretty good at more than one thing. We're a pretty talented species, you know? So please don't feel pigeon-holed into one career or one job title for the rest of your life just because you're good at the first one you picked. If it doesn't bring you happiness and if you feel you've outgrown it, you're doing nothing but a disservice to yourself and to your own growth if you stay there.

That brings me to my next point: evolving. You see, when we grow out of something, it means we're evolving as humans and that is a very, very good thing. I was a lawyer for 11 years. Looking back now, I realize why I was stuck in a career I didn't like (even though I was good at it) for that length of time. I had some mental blocks keeping me there. I've since worked on those and cleared them (i.e. I've evolved) and my career needed to change along with me. And then the place where I lived needed to change to fit the new person I was becoming (I moved from Chicago to Charleston). And then my relationship status needed to change to fit the new person I was becoming (I went from "forever a bridesmaid and always single" to "in a serious relationship")... and the rest is history. But none of it would have happened if I didn't first have the courage to change.

So on that note, I feel compelled to say that the same principles are applicable to other areas of your life outside of career. If you'd like to change your relationship, you can. It doesn't matter how old you are and it doesn't matter that the one you're in now is "good enough" if what you're really seeking is "phenomenal." If you'd like to change the city you live in, again it doesn't matter how old you are (my mother just moved out of state for the first time and she's in her late 60's!) and it doesn't matter whether the city you live in now is "good enough" if you're seeking "amazing." The same goes for changing your religious beliefs, your political beliefs, your feelings on having children, etc. You can change at any time, for any reason. You know that Maya Angelou quote, "When you know better, you do better?" It's kind of like that. As you evolve and grow as a person, it's not uncommon for your beliefs to change, for your life circumstances to change, for your job to change. Those changes are a reflection of the person you are becoming. And I hope, at least for myself, that by the time I leave this planet my outside circumstances are in pretty good alignment with my inner being and who I really am. Isn't that a good goal? I think so.

Cheers to change and to evolving into better versions of ourselves!

xoxo,

Stacy