Growing up we find ourselves little by little. Some find that they love the competition and adrenaline that comes with sports. Others find themselves indulging in theater and all forms of the arts. We find ourselves little by little in the things that we love, and in the people we love. Some might even say that they know exactly who they are, what they stand for, and what their purpose is. Those people are lucky, and maybe a little naive. The hard truth is, we never truly find ourselves because self-discovery is, and always will be, a lifelong journey.
We are always searching for who we are. It's normal for us to want answers, even to questions that have no answer. Who we are is always changing. You can’t be the five-year-old who believes in infinite miracles forever because soon you learn that for a miracle, you have to be damn lucky. It’s impossible to be the same person throughout your life because everything around us is changing. You might have once been someone who was never seen without a smile on your face, but then tragedy struck, and you're not unhappy, but your smile has become rarer. And that's okay, you can't be the same person you always were. That doesn't mean you have lost yourself, it means you're finding a new version of yourself.
Without change, there is no growth. I remember I always used to get offended and confused when people would tell me how much I have changed. Then I realized, I have changed. I’ve changed on the journey to find myself because I’m not comfortable, with being comfortable. I want to learn new things and spend time with new people. I want to be unpredictable and curious. Because who knew how much you could find yourself in a canvas until you've created it.
If you're confused on who you are, or what your purpose is, that's okay. You don't have to know every characteristic that you are and every character is that you are not. You don't have to always be a relaxed, calm person because everyone has their breakdowns. You can randomly pick up a guitar and become a musician even if you are known as a jock. Everyone has been told that they can do anything and be anything. Yet, what that phrase lacks is the statement that you can do anything and be anything at any time.
So don't get caught up in desperately wanting to find a full version of yourself. We are like pieces of a puzzle, putting ourselves together as our lives unfold. It's not one of those 500-word puzzles either. It's more like one of those 10000-word puzzles with jagged edges that have pieces that look like they might fit everywhere but don't. You have to keep trying to find the right pieces and place them where they fit perfectly. You will get frustrated and want to give up, but you know all that you can be. And you won't give up until its complete.
