THE idea of one’s identity is complex and multi-faceted. Every person has an identity, even though they may occasionally struggle to define it.
Although self-identity is something that is in a perpetual process of evolution for everyone, young people may find it especially strange to realise that we are not the same people we were a few years ago. The permanent changes that occur to our emotional and mental state can become overwhelming if we are not open to accepting them. We can easily become trapped in a space between the past and the future versions of ourselves.

Perhaps physical change may be a little easier to accept and understand than mental change because it is tangible and visible. Physical change may mean that we no longer fit into the same clothes that we used to wear when we were younger. Mental change, however, may mean that we no longer want to wear the same kind of clothes that we used to like when we were children. This change is a little difficult, simply because it is saddening to let go of the things we used to love. It may be a little easier to undergo self-transformation if we are willing to remember that change is not just about letting go of the things we love about ourselves. It is more about making room for the new parts of ourselves that can help us be better people.

So, there is nothing to fear when experiencing change within ourselves. In fact, did you know that even stars evolve? Stars start off as nothing more than clusters of gases and dust. Eventually, when met with specific conditions, these clusters of matter transform into stars. Then, even when they have fully evolved into stars, they continue to change very slowly as a result of losing energy. When they have lost sufficient energy, stars reach their final state, which may vary depending on their mass. Our sun is an example of a star that is gradually losing energy until it reaches its final state. Of course, this will only occur billions of years from now, but it is interesting to think that even something as powerful as our sun cannot escape change.

As we grow up, we will discover that change not only affects our likes and dislikes, but it may also affect the relationships we form. Sometimes, we can grow apart from the friends we have had throughout our entire lives. This does not mean that we stop loving them, but it may mean that our lives may have begun to take different courses from each other. We might stop spending as much time with each other and instead gravitate towards other groups of people. In moments such as those, we need to understand that, just like us, our relationships can change without breaking or disappearing.

Finally, change also means that our goals can become different. This may be the most difficult part of it all. There are very few goals and dreams that survive the transition from childhood to adulthood. This may be the reason why many young people are only able to decide on a specific career during the latter part of their teenage years. Even so, they may choose different paths later on in their lives. It is all right to experience a period when our most fundamental goals are changing into something different. It is also al- right to experience a brief period where we do not know what we want at all! After all, a caterpillar only becomes a butterfly after it experiences a period of inactivity within its cocoon.

Our self-identities are carefully and deliberately constructed by the memories we make and the experiences we have over the years. Some parts of us are completely replaced when we go through new things in life. On the other hand, some parts of us only transform slightly to accommodate new perspectives that we gain. Throughout this entire process, there are days when we may go to sleep feeling confused about who we truly are. During days such as those, we only need to look up at the stars in the sky to remind ourselves that change is normal, and if we are willing to accept it, then we too may glow as brightly as the stars do.