compass

As someone who is a counselor to young people and young adults... More often than not, I find myself throwing in somewhere in the conversation...

This may sound cliche, but...

How does something become cliche? and why is it that when we do hear 'cliches', we categorize it as old-fashioned and possibly irrelevant to our trials and tribulations of today?

After much thought about this (on the toilet), I came to this personal conclusion. Sayings and advice become cliche because they've stood the test of time. That no matter what society, age or culture you live in... these things hold true.

I think we call things cliche because it makes us feel better when we deviate from their guidance. Like we were trying to find our own way, and that we didn't want to do it the way everyone else has. It somehow comforts us by categorizing the tried and true,  to the uncool and irrelevant. But I guess it's that part of human nature that likes to just explore (or rebel).

We all have our own path that we need to discover and cliches do one of two things:

Lead us to where we want to go or point the way back home.