Growing Up

Growing up is never easy. You hold on to things that were. You wonder what’s to come. But then you realize that it is time to let go of what has been and look ahead to what will be. But letting go isn’t always easy. In every aspect it is hard at times to let go of what has been, but at the same time there are even more amazing things still to come and that is the very best part!

As I look around at where my life is right now I am surrounded by things that are changing. I am growing up. My kids are growing up. And everything is changing as a result of that. We just moved into our new home, my daughter is about to graduate from High School next week, and my son is coming home from his mission next week. So many major things are changing in my life right now. All of these changes happening right now have made me think a lot about growing up and how scary and hard it can be to let go of your comfort zone and go into a future of unknowns.

But ultimately that is what life is always going to be about…changes and growing up. And pretending those two things don’t exist will get your nowhere. Changes will come and you will continue to grow up, whether you acknowledge those two things or not. So the best thing we can do is to try and find a way to cope with both.

Rather than letting growing up and changes seem scary, I find it helps me a lot to try and view the future as a grand adventure of mystery and intrigue full of new friends and new mountains to climb. Somehow if you can shift your thinking away from feeling like things are ending and instead start to view things as new beginnings, new opportunities, new memories to create…shifting your view like that will have a huge impact on helping you look forward to the future that lies ahead.

Yes my life is coming to the end of an era. My baby girl is graduating and in the fall she will start college. My husband and I are going to be empty-nesters. That is a major change. But as sad as I am going to be about it I realize that I have to help myself start to see it as a positive thing. I have to help myself realize all the good that will come into her life and ours by supporting her growing up and leaving home. And as empty as the house will feel without her I have to be willing to recognize all the great things that will come into her life by allowing her to go to college on her own. My reminding myself of that will be about the only way I can get through having her move away this fall.

There is so much life ahead of every one of us. There is so much good out there waiting to come into our lives if we will just embrace change and embrace growing up. Allow yourself to get pulled out of your comfort zone once in a while. That is when great things will happen. That is when you will grow the most, and growing up can be a good thing if you allow it to be.

Have a great Tuesday everyone! I hope all of you had a great Memorial Day Weekend.

~Amy