Mental fluidity

gently noticing the shift

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A few years ago, I couldn’t stand dry fruits. Now? They’re the first thing I reach for after my morning walk.

It’s funny how that works.

But it’s not just dry fruits. I’ve changed my mind about a lot of things. Credit cards, for instance. I used to avoid them completely—they felt risky, unnecessary, like something that would get me into trouble. That’s what the definition of credit I knew until then. Then I started reading about good debt versus bad debt, credit scores, and responsible use. And slowly, my opinion shifted. Now I’ve had one for the last 10 years. I use it carefully, pay it off in full every month, and it improves my credit score.

The thing about getting older is that your opinions aren’t fixed. They evolve as you encounter new information, new perspectives, and new experiences. Things you were taught as a child start to feel less like universal truths and more like... someone else’s opinions that you happened to inherit.

And that’s when it gets interesting.

Because suddenly, you’re not just accepting what your family believes or what your friends think. You’re reading, experiencing, questioning. You’re forming your own understanding of things. And sometimes that understanding looks completely different from where you started.

What felt right five years ago might feel wrong now. Not because you were stupid then, but because you know more now. You’ve lived more. You’ve thought more deeply about it.

I came across this term once: mental fluidity.

It’s the practice of not clinging too tightly to your current beliefs. Of staying open to the possibility that what you think today might shift tomorrow—and that’s not weakness. That’s growth. I simply see it as staying curious about what it possibly could be.

Most of what makes up our personality comes from what we absorbed in childhood. The beliefs our parents held. The values our community reinforced. The “this is just how things are” explanations we accepted without question.

But adulting gives us the chance to examine all of that. To ask: Is this actually mine? Or did I just inherit it? Do I believe this because it’s true for me, or because someone I loved believed it first?

And here’s what I’m learning: it’s okay to change your mind.

It’s okay to be the person who says, “I used to think this, but now I think differently.” It’s okay to outgrow old versions of yourself. It’s okay if your opinions don’t match your family’s anymore. It’s okay if you contradict your younger self.

That’s not being flaky or inconsistent. That’s being alive. That’s paying attention. That’s allowing yourself to evolve.

Adulting, to me, is noticing these shifts happening—and meeting them with gentleness instead of resistance. It’s saying to yourself: “I’m different now. And that’s perfectly natural.”

Take a Little Pause 🌼

What’s one belief you’ve completely changed your mind about? What helped you see it differently?

I’d love to hear your stories. 😊

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Now?

Sharing what I’m watching, reading, and learning!

📺 Slowly watching: Nothing at the moment. Any suggestions?
📖 Happily reading: Courage to be Disliked by Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi, The Art of Spending Money by Morgan Housel, A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara, Think on These Things by J Krishnamurti, & How to Draw Adorable by Carlianne Tipsey (More book recs? Check my list!)
🎨 Doing: Still onto Day 35/100 of exploring Procreate :)

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Take care! 💛
Rachna

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Take a Little Pause is an illustrated weekly newsletter for anyone navigating the beautiful messiness of building a creative, calm and intentional life. If you’re on a similar journey, subscribe for free or become a paid supporter to support my writing and help bring my dream of publishing a coffee-table book to life. 💛