They say the only real constant is change. Take a look around you and you will find that this is true for all aspects of life. Even nature itself is constantly changing, evolving, as a one big living entity.

Although I know this for a fact that change is kind of built in within the workings of life itself, I sometimes find myself asking whether we humans do really change over a course of time or do we remain the same at our core?

Have you wondered about this too? We all seem to grow into more mature human beings over time and there is a stark difference between the childhood version of ourselves and the adult versions. But at the very core of our individuality, do we really change?

Or is the question more multi-dimensional and doesn’t have one single answer? Well, I think it depends on how you look at it. Let me explain what I mean.

What Makes You, You?

To determine if you can change over time, we must first go a little bit deeper and ask what makes you, you in the first place? Is it your body? Is it your mind? Is it your personality, thoughts, opinions, nature or something deeper than all of that?

Most of these aspects can change over time. Your body changes over time and so do your thoughts and opinions. Your behavior changes too. In fact, it keeps changing from place to place and people to people. That’s completely natural!

Even our personalities change over time albeit slower than the others thanks to the many, many life experiences over the years, making us ever wiser. But can the basic nature of people change too?

There are sayings like “A leopard can’t change her spots” and “A zebra never changes his stripes”. Does that apply to humans as well? Or are we able to refine that core nature of ours, which makes us, us!

What I Think About It

This question may not have a single answer after all. As I have said before on multiple occasions, we humans are complex beings and there are so many different aspects that constitute a person, all of which are unique from one person to the other, that we simply cannot reach a definitive answer as to what changes, how much and even if so!

We all know so many people in our lives whose basic nature has remained the same although they have changed physically, emotionally and mentally. In fact, I think I have remained the same (nature wise) since my childhood.

But we also cannot deny the numerous examples of people who have changed for real. Sometimes it takes a life changing experience to do that, say, a near death experience.

I think, it ultimately comes down to whether you want to change or not. I think we are all capable of it but we really have to want it for it to actually happen. What do you think?