Four Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Relationships and Environment

Have you ever had a time where you overall felt disconnected from everything and everyone around you? You’re happy, but the activities you use to enjoy don’t do anything for you anymore, certain friends you can’t seem to relate to, and your mindset overall seems like it’s shifting? It’s a strange feeling, but it’s almost as if you don’t feel aligned with your environment and who you got comfortable with being. I experienced this for about a year-long period and realized that I was outgrowing my old self and environment. Here are some signs I have noted in my experience that exemplify outgrowing your surroundings.

You Feel Disconnected from Your Relationships

This is one of the most dominant feelings I had during the year-long period. I didn’t feel emotionally or intellectually challenged, I made tons of excuses for canceling on plans and continuously felt like I was on an entirely different page than most of my friends. My mindset seemed to differ significantly from theirs, and I was having difficulty finding enlightenment and connection in spending time with friends. I became happier when I was alone or focusing on me rather than social interactions that had always excited me beforehand. 

Your Vision Board is 100 Percent Unrelated to Your Current Life

I have always been a dreamer and had unexplainable confidence that I would work hard enough to get where I want to be later in life. Explaining how I 100 percent know this is impossible, however, I have always been sure I will make it happen. I found myself focusing on who I wanted to be and dreaming of living somewhere else, having a completely different lifestyle, job, hobbies, and social circle. It was more than just daydreaming for me, though. I thought about my plans for the future every day, and it became something I fixated on while evolving my sense of personal growth and identity. I began to take opportunities that would become the steppingstones for my plan and these surpassed my old bad habits and fears which made me realize this was finally what I wanted to work towards. The shift in focus I put from everyone else onto myself was a significant indicator I was changing and ready for the next steps. 

You End Relationships That Aren’t Working for You Anymore

I have always been someone who is not a fan of confrontation and absolutely hates being in an argument or losing a friend. My friends know the deepest and darkest parts of me, and I have no one else I’ve ever connected with like those who I have grown up with. However, I eventually found myself in numerous fights with close friends that I had never experienced before, mostly deriving from my irritability. I felt like I didn’t relate to them; they didn’t support my mindset and didn’t understand me. I eventually ended numerous close relationships during this time; I realized they hurt me and held me back rather than accepting who I’ve become and my self-growth. It wasn’t that I just felt different. My energy was being drained as if I was trying to fit in with people I just honestly didn’t relate to anymore, and it was exhausting. 

You’re Tired of the Same Old Same Old

Living the same day, same friends, same city, hobbies, and lifestyle became terrifying. Endless social media searches of different cities, states, and countries became my new norm. Idolizing a lifestyle, I found myself gravitating towards wanting to implement the steps necessary to succeed. It was and still is all I can think about, still living in the moment but needing a new environment and influences around me. Realizing the environment I envisioned was not even close to what I chose to surround myself with now was one of the hardest yet best realizations I made during that year. I realized that it is not strange I am finding it difficult to connect with others in my circle, or don’t feel the same energy from activities I used to. I have changed, and that lifestyle just simply isn’t working for me anymore. During this year-long period, I became more irritable with those I surrounded myself with, felt often misunderstood and destined for more, and found it extremely hard to “keep being myself” with friendships I’ve had for over ten years. I repeatedly questioned if I was going through a hard time mentally and what could be wrong. I realized I was the happiest when I accepted who I was becoming rather than holding onto who I once was and the environment I created for myself. It became an act, as I would call it, trying to be my “old self,” and it was absolutely exhausting. It was terrifying for me to let go of old habits and relationships I grew up with and felt familiar with. However, I decided I was not going to be reluctant to change out of fear. It was a lonely feeling for a while, but I was happier with the change than holding onto space I knew I had outgrown. 

I cannot stress enough that outgrowing yourself is not a bad sign, but rather a sign of maturity and embracing adulthood. Hopefully, after reading about my personal experiences there are some areas you can relate to if you find yourself in a similar situation of growing up and flourishing.

 

 

 

 

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