I want to start off by saying this is not a critique of every human existing on this planet.

My intention is to make you think about the person you are and how you can achieve greatness through growth. As we dig deeper, I want you to open your eyes to the possibility of change, maturity and overall improvement.

Although personal growth can’t happen overnight, there are a multitude of ways to grow up. Engaging in meaningful conversations is probably my favorite technique I use with friends, acquaintances and even strangers to build my character as a whole.

Essentially, if you have a deep, purposeful conversation with anyone, it brings you a lot closer together. By engaging in heavy dialogue about your families past, your views on politics, and even your biggest fears, you are putting trust into the person listening to your stories. You are helping each other grow parallel and this aids your relationship for the future. When is the last time you had a meaningful conversation that you felt you grew from personally?

I sat in on an interview with Abby Wambach this past weekend and something powerful she claimed resonated with me deeply. “If you aren’t passionately advocating for change, you are sleeping.” I swear she said those exact words. When you advocate for social movements, you’re not just resisting our society’s values; you’re changing the world.

As an individual, you are providing a way of social change that others can learn from. Young adulthood is the perfect time to find those passions and develop from them. If you are excited about changing society’s structure, you are building yourself up and who you will be in the future.

Practicing self-awareness is something I have been implementing into my daily life and it has truly done wonders. Some people I surround myself with are so unaware of the environment and it truly blows my mind. I don’t want to act like I’m such a mature individual, but for real, these people need to do start recognizing what encompasses them. When you are conscious of your character, you adhere to others feelings better. If you have a clear perception of your personal motives, you’ll be able to understand other people with more meaning and integrity.

It’s time to devote yourself to learning, growing, and being your own person. Once you find a more superior way of spending your time, you’ll feel so much more empowered. Once you stop caring about what people think and fully commit yourself to your motivations, you will blossom. You have the potential to be whoever it is you want to be, so get out there and do what makes you feel like a better person. Develop, evolve, and change the world.