The Inevitability of Change

The concept of change is something that I have struggled with all of my life. Change can be both good and bad. It can provoke feelings of excitement, feelings of anticipation and feelings of anxiety. Change can be really scary but it is also a beautiful opportunity for growth.

We are in the midst of a season of change. Spring has sprung and summer is right around the corner. Our bodies change. Our minds change. Our lives change. Our environments change. Our emotions change. Etc.

For college students, like myself, this is about to be quite the transition. Leaving school for the first time for summer provokes many emotions. I have learned so much about myself over the past year and have grown so much. I never thought I would be writing that I am sad to go home, but that is a sign of growth in itself.

Don't get me wrong, I am SO excited to be with my family, be at home in my own room, cook my own food, not feel anxiety about going out every weekend, and go to the beach all the time, buttttt I have finally found comfort where my feet are and made incredible friendships that will last me a lifetime. The anticipation of moving out of school, getting back into a routine at home, starting work, and learning to find new daily balance might be hard at first, but I am hopeful it will come with time -- like it always does.

Something I am reminding myself is that I have already gotten through all of my hardest and worst days. This can also be applied to the idea of change and transition. Not only have I overcome these days but I have learned so much about myself and have realized that I am so much stronger than I think I am (and so are YOU)

When I experience times of change I tend to feel out of control. My first instinct is to turn to harmful coping mechanism in hopes of gaining some type of control. As someone who struggled and still struggles to this day with an eating disorder -- restricting my food or overexercising is usually my first thought. I also tend to isolate myself. HOWEVER, now that I have identified these patterns, I am able to replace these habits with different things that will add to my life. Now I write/journal, move my body in ways I enjoy, spend time with people who fill my cup, and do little things that I know make me happy. It is much easier said than done but by identifying your triggers and understanding how certain things affect you, you are able to live your life for yourself and not in fear of the things you can't control.

As humans with bodies, we all think about our appearance and how other people perceive us. Summer = summer clothes. This is another aspect of change about the summer that can be really difficult for some people. Personally, I LOVEEEE summer clothes and being able to express myself through my cute little beachy outfits. However, I always feel the need to change the way I look in order to pull off the things I want to wear. This is a whole bunch of BS but can be so hard to accept. It sounds cringey but it is so true -- if you want a "bikini body" all you need is a bikini and a body. You don't need to alter your body in order to wear and do things that make you happy moving into the warmer weather. If your body changed since last summer OKAY THATS SO COOL, its okay if your summer clothes from last year don't feel you anymore, donate them and size up -- its all good. You have grown and evolved. You are a human.

I know I am talking in a very positive way and I know this can sound "annoying" because I have and still struggle with this. I am not only writing to you but I am writing to myself. I know what it feels like to really struggle with body image and to have a breakdown trying on clothes. I am writing to you as someone who has been through it. But please, don't let your negative body image prevent you from LIVING. Life is too short.

There is nothing we can do to stop the world from going. Change is going to happen whether we let it affect us negatively or positively. If we slow down, understand our anxieties, and intentionally prioritize what makes us feel our best -- life becomes so much more meaningful. Don't let your fear paralyze you. Some people are better at combating times of change than others, but no one is perfect. Remember that you are not your thoughts and that everyone is fighting their own battle.

So let’s embrace change. Let's lean into it. Let's seek discomfort. Because change is inevitable. We can't run or hide from it. But we can use it as an opportunity for growth. Change is all around us and will always be part of our lives.

Everything is going to be okay. You are so loved.

XO,

Mo