We don’t talk enough about how hard it is to do something as inevitable as growing up. Yes, it’s natural, but that doesn’t make it easy. With growth also comes change, and with that change, the people around us may start to look and feel completely different.
As time passes, you might start to realise that some relationships have expiration dates. Just like you wouldn’t drink a jug of sour milk, you shouldn’t latch on to people whose time in your life has quietly come to an end.
Outgrowing someone can feel like a betrayal. Like you’re doing something wrong by evolving. Other times, we’re the ones left behind, watching someone drift away. Whichever side you find yourself on, try not to take it personally. It rarely is.
While clutching on might feel like the noble thing to do, in reality, remaining in relationships that simply don’t make sense anymore can be more damaging for both you and others. Learning to let go is tough, but also necessary.
So here are some quotes that remind us that it’s okay to outgrow people.
1. The snake which cannot cast its skin has to die. – Friedrich Nietzsche
Change is essential to survival; being stagnant and hanging on to what needs to be shed can be detrimental.
2. I am rooted, but I flow. – Virginia Woolf
You can stay true to who you are, grounded in your values, and still find yourself drifting from others.
3. People always come into your life for a reason, a season and a lifetime. When you figure out which it is, you know exactly what to do. – Brian A. Chalker
Not all relationships are permanent. Temporary connections can still be meaningful, but they are just that: temporary.
4. To live in this world you must be able to do three things:
to love what is mortal;
to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it;
and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go. – Mary Oliver
Outgrowing someone is a stage of life we all must go through. Do not think you are alone in this.
5. Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go. – Hermann Hesse
We often think we’re strong when we cling, but real strength sometimes requires letting go of what no longer fits.
6. Some people are only compatible with the past version of you. – Unknown
We change as people, so the people around you ought to change too.
7. You can outgrow people. It’s okay. It doesn’t mean you hate them. It just means your life is moving in a different direction. – Zendaya
Learning not to feel guilty for outgrowing others is important. It’s not always rooted in hate or dissatisfaction; sometimes it’s just a natural part of life.
8. I’ve learned to be okay with not everyone understanding the new me. – Kerry Washington
Accepting your growth is key. Don’t berate yourself, embrace this new chapter of who you’ve become.
9. Sometimes you don’t leave people behind. You leave versions of yourself that no longer fit where you’re going. – Brianna Wiest
Outgrowing someone is a sign of personal progress. It’s really not about anyone else.
10. I want to be in charge of my own life. I want to grow, I want to move, I want to see. And I cannot be held back by people who are too afraid to do the same. – Diane von Fürstenberg
By staying tethered to people who are no longer right for you, you limit your own journey and the life you’re meant to lead.
If you’re beating yourself up about outgrowing people you were once close to, or feel like the one who’s been left behind, let these quotes offer comfort and inspiration and serve as a reminder that you are on the right track.
