Some Shoes Fit Some; Some Leave Shoe Bites: Coming to Terms with Yourself

 

Growing up can be a strange conundrum. On one hand, there is a whole new world that reveals itself to you – the great outdoors, where all kinds of freedoms can be yours. So many possibilities, so many new people. On the other, you have very little idea about what to do with any of it. More importantly, once you figure out what to do, how do you know that you’re getting it right? There are no blueprints to being a teenager – you’re the only one who can figure out what kind of person you want to become. Everything must be learned on the job, and ‘becoming yourself’ is a job that comes with no time off.

 

Is it any wonder that the biggest struggle adolescents face is that of fitting in? At a time when you are essentially half-adult, half-child, it can be difficult to know where you stand with both yourself and the people around you. This is especially true for teenagers who are struggling with mental health concerns, which can truly cement the feeling that no one understands you. So how do we stay true to who we want to be without worrying about being judged or getting it wrong?

 

Lately, I’ve begun thinking of adolescence as being in a massive shoe store. There are hundreds of pairs, in different colours and sizes, and for some unknown reason, you have been left in here – free to try them all! The only thing that makes sense is to explore. As you go through different shoes, wearing them to walk the length of the story, maybe take a run, you realize something. Some shoes fit wonderfully. Others will leave shoe bites (sometimes, nasty ones). But you’d never know which ones you like until you explore them all!

 

Like all good things, our teenage years can only be figured out through trial and error. We make mistakes, fall, and get back up. We wait a while for the shoe bites to heal, and go right back to trying on shoes. Occasionally, we get it right – we find people who accept us for our flaws, find a hobby that lifts the world off our shoulders, and have days that make us smile. These things will often come as shoes that look slightly different from what we initially expected. Their shape, size, and design will often look unfamiliar. But once we try them on, they will fit snugly, and it will all make sense. Before you know it, you will be walking out of your teenage years with bags full to the brim with enough shoes to last you a lifetime.

Source- https://paradigmtreatment.com/staying-true-to-yourself-and-the-struggle-of-fitting-in/