Who Are You Becoming?

Have you ever stopped to think about the woman you might be five years from now?

Not where you'll be living or what you'll be doing, necessarily. But who you'll be.

It's an interesting question, isn't it?

Because no matter how many birthdays we've celebrated, life has a way of presenting us with new possibilities.

Families grow and change. Children build lives of their own. Grandchildren arrive, grow up and find their independence. Friendships evolve. Work changes. New interests appear, sometimes when we least expect them.

And somewhere amongst all of that, we continue to change too.

We become a little more confident. A little more comfortable with our own opinions. Maybe little less concerned about what other people might think.

And we finally understand something rather liberating.

We can give ourselves permission.

Permission to try something new. To say yes to an opportunity. To say no when something doesn't feel right. To enjoy ourselves without feeling we have to justify it.

To be the woman we are today, rather than the woman others might expect us to be.

And what about what we have to offer?

We carry a lifetime of experiences, skills, stories and perspectives. Some of them might be exactly what another person needs.

It may be offering encouragement to someone starting out.  Sharing knowledge.  Joining a conversation.

Being available when an opportunity presents itself and we don't always need to wait to be asked.

Sometimes it's perfectly fine to say, I'd love to be involved. Or, I think I could help with that.

Not because we have something to prove. But because we recognise that we still have something to offer.

And there's an important difference.

Our value isn't measured by how busy we are, what we achieve or how much we contribute.

We have value simply because of who we are. 

So what might come next?

Perhaps something exciting. Perhaps something unexpected. Perhaps simply more time to enjoy the people, places and experiences that matter to us.

There doesn't have to be a grand plan and we certainly don't need to reinvent ourselves every few years.

But wouldn't it be lovely to approach the next stage of life with curiosity rather than apprehension?

To wonder what we might discover, who we might meet and what might make us laugh, learn or surprise ourselves.

Throughout The Ripple Effect series, we've explored how our choices, confidence and kindness can touch other people's lives, often without us knowing.

But have you thought that perhaps the ripples travel inward too.

Every experience, every connection, every moment when we give ourselves permission to be seen can change something within us.

Perhaps that's the loveliest thought of all.

We're not finished becoming.

Not at 50. Not at 60. Not at 70. Or beyond.

So rather than asking what we've already done with our lives, perhaps there's a more interesting question. 

Who are you becoming?

And isn't it exciting to think that the answer is still unfolding?