Life changes you

I'm not the same person I was 10 years ago. I read some of my old posts and trip cuz I was a totally different person then. Does anyone else feel like life experiences have changed you any? 

Sad thing is, I like myself better 10 years ago. I seemed to be more fun, had passions for projects and music that I don't seem to have so much today. Do you think you're different than you were 10 or 15 or 20 years ago? A little? Quite a bit? Why do you think that is?

I guess we all change over time.  I listen to less music than I used to - not that I like it any less, it's more that I seem to have less free time than I used to.  I find that things we experience through life do tend to weigh us down as we walk through it all.  I tend to crave peace and quiet much more than I ever did.  For instance, yesterday we were playing a board game which turned in to a shouting match (with the kids).  Those sort of things seem to happen more and more, and I just want to go and sit near the sea somewhere and watch fishing boats bob up and down in the water, then maybe read a book, have a chat with someone and eat a cornish pasty!

Life is so much more connected now that it's very difficult to switch off.  The mobile/cell phone is always on and as soon as it goes we all have to check it straight away no matter what we're doing.  I've been looking at old photos of the family from the 70's and 80's and (I realise with rose tinted glasses) it all looks so much more simple and clean.

Maybe 10 years ago I wasn't too different from where I am now.  But 20 or 30, then yes, definitely.  I've got a few tiny health issues (that are hopefully nothing) but as I/we get older all these changes make us different people.  I know that my relationship with God is key in all this, so I try my hardest to work on that.

Changes aren't permanent, but change is.

We grow, adapt, remodel and reshape.  I would say it's impossible to stay the same when everything around changes.

Everything that we encounter in life makes some small change.  Rarely are our personal changes something that happens all at once.  The stresses of life, the successes, the failures, the rut of taking care of daily tasks like work or housework, relationships (both good and toxic), the stuff we consume (media, foods, etc.), all effect who we are.  We say that they don't change or effect us, but people are like sponges.  What goes in eventually comes out.  Clean water in a sponge will wring out clean.  However, dirty water in equals dirty water out.  We are constantly feeding our hearts and spirit whether we realize it or not with all the things I mentioned.  That is why we were told in the Scriptures to guard our hearts and to be renewed by the transforming of the mind.  When you make up your mind to do something, it can lead your heart to a transformation.  That can be good or bad changes.

Safeguard our hearts, brethren!

Change stresses me out.
I don't want to change.

I'll just be over here in the corner with my head buried in the sand denying that any change is happening.

Staybrite wrote:

Change stresses me out.
I don't want to change.

I'll just be over here in the corner with my head buried in the sand denying that any change is happening.

Watch out, that's where I'm sitting.

Fundy wrote:

Staybrite wrote:

Change stresses me out.
I don't want to change.

I'll just be over here in the corner with my head buried in the sand denying that any change is happening.

Watch out, that's where I'm sitting.

That's called getting old!  I can say that because that is where I am, too!

Very good and sometimes deep thoughts here. Thanks for the responses

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

Very good and sometimes deep thoughts here. Thanks for the responses

Yes, certainly just "sometimes".   Some people seem to have to make a joke out of everything in a feeble attempt to bring a little bit of joy into their own lives (sorry, I go overboard sometimes).

I feel like I am pretty much the same. Even old buddies from high school point out that I'm the same. One friend called me and said "hey what are you doing?". I said "not much just listening to Rush Moving Pictures". He replied "I could've called you 30 years ago and got the same answer!"

Staybrite wrote:

Guilty/Forgiven wrote:

Very good and sometimes deep thoughts here. Thanks for the responses

Yes, certainly just "sometimes".   Some people seem to have to make a joke out of everything in a feeble attempt to bring a little bit of joy into their own lives (sorry, I go overboard sometimes).

I thought making a joke out of everything was my life's calling!!!

Interesting thread this. Life definitely changes you and thank God for the opportunity to grow. I am DEFINITELY not the same person I was 10, 15 years ago. Thank the Lord for His kindness and mercy. I've had a lot of hard times with my health (pretty much all of my adult life, a lot of doctors, a lot of pain, a lot of plans derailed), but I know that without those struggles, I would not be the person I am today. I like and respect myself way more now than I did when I was younger. I've got more empathy, I'm less petty, I'm less judgmental, I'm less invested in the conflicts and dramas of the world, I'm more quiet in my thoughts, I don't hold on to wrongs for so long, and have greater peace because of it. The coolest thing about growth is that it is lifelong so that if we take a wrong turn, we can identify that and choose a different, better path until the day we die. Change? Bring it on

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I've got more empathy, I'm less petty, I'm less judgmental, I'm less invested in the conflicts and dramas of the world, I'm more quiet in my thoughts, I don't hold on to wrongs for so long, and have greater peace because of it. 

This

I can relate to everybody's words in this thread.  Jen struck a chord that still resonates with me...I used to be so fearful and apprehensive (still struggle with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and all that happy stuff), and much more short-tempered.  While the years haven't been overly kind at times, God certainly has been.  Every day is a gift from above, and an opportunity to come to know Him better. 

10 years ago I was working in ministry for troubled boys, was a lead and thought it was what I'd do until I retire. 6 years ago a new director was brought in who wanted his own people in charge and 3 years ago, after much heartbreak, we left. It brought on a sort of personal crisis, not of faith but what I was supposed to do? Now I'm a janitor and my normally cynical nature has intensified and I hate it. I'm unskilled labor and at 50 starting over was rough. So yeah, life changes you.

That's hard BR. To lose a fulfilling job and then find yourself in one that doesn't fulfil. Yes, very hard. If it were me, I'd be spending my every waking minute outside of work trying to find a solution. Fifty is not old my friend. I know a lot of people on this board think it is, but it's not. You are only old when you say you're old. Think of ABBA making an album in their 70s!

Think of my Mum. After years of trying to get back into teaching she was told (kindly I might add) that she was never going to get a position because the schools could hire two new graduates for one of her. My mother cried and was sad for a long time, but one day she just picked herself up and decided to go back to school. To make ends meet, she substituted during the day (a job she didn't enjoy) and then did her school work at night for two years. She then worked until she was 68 doing a job she loved and making a difference to people's lives (she tutored dyslectic kids). She was 50 when all this happened.

I feel so badly for you that you are feeling stuck. You only live once my friend. You can let stuff happen to you or you can make it happen for you. I pray that you find a new direction. Peace brother

Normaniac wrote:

I can relate to everybody's words in this thread.  Jen struck a chord that still resonates with me...I used to be so fearful and apprehensive (still struggle with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and all that happy stuff), and much more short-tempered.  While the years haven't been overly kind at times, God certainly has been.  Every day is a gift from above, and an opportunity to come to know Him better. 

Amen brother

I would love to have this attitude, something I need to consciously work on

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Every day is a gift from above, and an opportunity to come to know Him better. 

Black Rider wrote:

10 years ago I was working in ministry for troubled boys, was a lead and thought it was what I'd do until I retire. 6 years ago a new director was brought in who wanted his own people in charge and 3 years ago, after much heartbreak, we left. It brought on a sort of personal crisis, not of faith but what I was supposed to do? Now I'm a janitor and my normally cynical nature has intensified and I hate it. I'm unskilled labor and at 50 starting over was rough. So yeah, life changes you.

That is a tough place to be. Sometimes it sounds like an over-simplification of Christian thought, but God really does place you in places you would never expect, or even want sometimes. Someone told me recently that God knows what He's doing, and though we know this intellectually, many times we don't accept it in our own lives. I never dreamed I'd be disabled and suffering chronic pain 24/7. Never believed I'd be forced off of work and stuck at home everyday as a house-husband doing all the chores, meals, and shopping... I struggled for years that God "knew what He was doing". But when I finally accepted it, it changed my whole attitude and outlook on life and my future. I'm content where I'm at, though I don't care for it most days, I've accepted it. It makes a huge difference
 And Jen made a good point, sometimes even BETTER things come out of bummer things. I've lost my keys before and got ticked, cussed and slammed things around until I found them. A few miles down the road there was a huge accident that happened 5 minutes before I got there.... nuff said

Black Rider wrote:

Now I'm a janitor and my normally cynical nature has intensified and I hate it. I'm unskilled labor and at 50 starting over was rough. So yeah, life changes you.

I don't recall where you live, but in my small city there are huge numbers of unskilled labor jobs that pay good money now because they can't get enough dependable people to work. My son's only been at his factory job 5 months and is making over $20/hr. Even the fast food places are paying at least $11 to start. Janitor may be better than a factory worker in your mind, nothing wrong with that at all, but it may also be worth looking for something else again in this market. Whatever you do, do for the the glory of God!

I've been looking but the factory jobs want you to work nights to start and I have sleep apnea so that's not an option.

Black Rider wrote:

I've been looking but the factory jobs want you to work nights to start and I have sleep apnea so that's not an option.

Yeah, that's not good at all.