Giving ourselves permission to evolve

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world.
Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

― Rumi

In our last journal entry we shared why we’ve recently been changing the way we run Stone Fox Swim, from more sustainable packaging, to carbon offsetting. Today, we’d like to share with you why we’ve also been learning to give ourselves permission to change and evolve as individuals.

As women, the world scrutinises every little change we experience and tells us how to stop each and every one of them – we’re urged to stay lean, heal our stretch marks, wind back the clock on our wrinkles, and cover up our gray hairs. Beyond the physical, society and our communities hasten to put us in boxes and stack us together on shelves of expectation which we must stay put in forever – you’re a mom, you’re a fashion designer, you’re a ‘this’ or a ‘that’. Each with a certain set of rules or boundaries. 

It’s been a decade since I started Stone Fox Swim, and while the core ethos of this brand remains the same, I recently had to acknowledge that I wasn’t the same person I was ten years ago. I’ve grown as a woman, and become more aware of the changing world around me.

So let’s embrace the changes we go through as women. Let’s pay attention to how our friends are evolving around us and celebrate their growth. And let’s be kind to ourselves when it sometimes feels like we’re going backwards in life. Change isn’t linear, it’s not always easy, and it comes about differently for everyone.

As we head towards a new year, here are some of my tips for embracing, and celebrating changes in yourself:

Take note of what’s happening

Life rushes past so quickly that we often don’t stop long enough to catch our breath, but every so often it’s important to stop and reflect on the past few days, weeks or months. Throughout the year, you may want to keep a journal and create a routine of regularly writing in it – whether that’s every day, once a week, or once a month (I recommend journaling on or around the New Moon).

Sometimes, in the sea of everything that has come and gone, we forget to acknowledge, or celebrate the good – even that which might have come from the adverse or unexpected. As we head into the new year, it’s a nice time to jot down all the things that have happened this year, and breathe it all out as we step, lighter, into a new one. Here are some questions to help guide your journal entry:

– What challenges did I overcome this year?

– What did I learn from those challenges?

– What aspects of myself have I outgrown this year? 

– What aspects of myself do I want to embrace in the new year?

Gravitate towards people who encourage growth

There are friends we will keep forever – special people who will love us unconditionally no matter who we become. And there are also new friends who unconsciously push us to grow and evolve, bringing new perspectives, new experiences and new learnings into our worlds.

I’m not saying ditch all your old friends. No way! But it’s important to recognise when you’re becoming more interested in new areas and are connecting with people who share these passions.

Our journey towards sustainability has opened my eyes to all the incredible people who hold wisdom in this area and I’ve loved connecting with these people through Instagram. So I encourage you to embrace the new things that are lighting up your heart, and widening your mindset now, and dive deep into those areas – find new accounts to follow on social media  and reach out to these people.

Life is a continual journey in learning, and sharing, so gather new friends who will help you on this path.

Don’t worry if others don’t understand

Remember that these changes are about you, and you alone. Perhaps there will be people in your life who don’t understand your new passions, new opinions, or new haircut – and that’s ok! They have fallen in love with a certain aspect of you, and maybe they’ll just take a bit longer to play catch up on your evolution.

If these changes feel good for you, then that’s all that matters.

 

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Happy evolving ladies.