you must allow yourself to change and evolve

Have you ever seen hermit crabs? They are pretty interesting and thrifty little creatures. A hermit crab never lives in one shell for a long time. It finds a suitable shell, crawls inside and lives in it. But over time, as it grows and becomes bigger, the shell no longer fits and it gets back on the sea floor trying to find a better and more comfortable real estate property for itself that fits all its needs. This keeps happening throughout its lifespan. 

We can all learn an important lesson from these hermit crabs. Like these crabs, we too are changing, growing and evolving every day of our lives. Often, we convince ourselves that things can be only one way for the rest of our lives. However, this belief doesn’t align with our core human nature. There’s never one “right” or “wrong” path. Just because a chosen path or decision was right for us sometime back doesn’t mean it will meet our needs and desires today. 

If there’s one constant thing in life, it’s change. As time passes, we all change, and we all evolve. Growth and expansion is inevitable. And that’s why, to both survive and thrive, we must let go of our safe and secure tiny spaces and go somewhere else. 

Is there something that you’re holding to that’s no longer adding meaning, value and purpose in your life, but you can’t let it go because it feels safe and familiar? Maybe it’s a job, a relationship, a living situation, or a negative behavior pattern. There’s nothing wrong with having certainty in your life and feeling safe and comfortable. However, if you feel that the walls are closing in on you and you can’t confine or limit yourself anymore, then it’s time to move on. 

I’m sure you would have heard of countless people who left their high-paying corporate jobs so that they could live a more meaningful and intentional life and pursue something that they were passionate about. Or people who let go of their toxic relationships and marriages, so that they could heal and eventually find someone better for themselves. 

Like hermit crabs, we too can change the course of our lives. We too can let go of the things that we’ve outgrown and are no longer serving us. If you’re feeling stuck and stagnant, maybe it’s time to get out and find a new shell for yourself — something that fits you better and brings joy and peace in your life again. But before you do that, you must first remove yourself from your present shell and leave it behind.

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