The basic landscape of Manhattan never changes: the grid layout remains as it was when it was first implemented. But its streetscape is constantly evolving.
The city is a place that is always under construction. Almost nothing is sacrosanct. Sometimes buildings that have stood for decades get torn down to make way for something new. Other times, the changes are more subtle. Old schools and office buildings get converted to residential buildings.
Over the course of my lifetime, I’ve seen the evolution of some neighborhoods and the creation of others. Areas that were once far off the beaten path are now thriving residential or commercial destinations.
This is a reflection of nature, and life itself. Nothing in nature is static or fixed. The landscape is always evolving or shifting in some way.
To the parts of our human systems that rely on fixed landmarks to give us stability and certainty, this constant evolution can be a source of anxiety. When we reach for the familiar to find it missing, we can feel unmoored.
On the other hand, the changes we see in the landscape can be a source of permission for our own evolution.
If a place like New York City can undergo constant evolution and transformation, then so can we.
Just like the neighborhoods and buildings in New York City, you’re under no obligation to be the same thing that you were 25 years ago, 5 years ago, or even one year ago.
You’re allowed to change your interests, your motivations, your job, your career, your hobbies, your opinions, your relationships, and even your values and identity.
Your physical body already goes through a cellular transformation. Your hair, nails, and skin are constantly shedding as new growth emerges. At any given moment, billions of cells are dying and being replaced. One estimate suggests roughly 330 billion cells turn over every day.
And yet, like the grid pattern and essential structural layout of New York City, you have certain cells and patterns that endure. Even within the change, there is a stable through line — a constant.
If you’re struggling with permission to allow yourself to change, consider this:
If you strolled the streets of New York and found a neighborhood that evidenced no change from 20 years ago, you’d probably think something was wrong. It would look stuck in another time, a relic from a bygone era.
As much as we crave the familiar, we also expect a certain amount of change. We know it’s inevitable.
Reinvention isn’t a sign of being finicky or non-committal. It’s the law of nature.
The only constant is change. That applies to us as much as it applies to everything else.
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