Letting go isn’t just an act — it’s a journey. A slow, painful process that feels like losing pieces of yourself along the way. Social Media romanticise it, calling it beautiful, necessary, transformative. But what they don’t tell you is that transformation comes with heartbreak.
We don’t just let go of people. We let go of places, dreams, identities — versions of ourselves we once believed were permanent. And every time we do, it feels like standing at the edge of an unfamiliar world, unsure of what comes next.
Maybe it’s a person you thought would be in your life forever. Someone you imagined future moments with. But life shifts, circumstances change, and suddenly, you’re forced to face a painful truth — you can hold on, even as it shatters you, or you can set them free. Letting go isn’t just about saying goodbye; it’s about accepting that some people are only meant to be chapters, not the whole book. Some will stay, but most won’t. And that’s okay.
As Jay Shetty said, people in our lives are like trees — some are leaves, some are branches, and a rare few are roots.
But sometimes, what we struggle to release isn’t a person — it’s who we used to be. Maybe you were once confident, passionate, full of purpose. And now? You feel lost. I know this feeling too well. There was a time when I felt like I was making a real difference in my career, like my contributions mattered. But lately, I don’t feel that anymore. And for the longest time, I kept chasing the old me, hoping to reclaim what I had lost. But maybe that version of me wasn’t meant to last forever.
Maybe I need to let go — not to give up, but to grow into something new.
And then there’s the kind of letting go that comes with leaving behind everything familiar. A city you called home, friendships that felt like family, memories woven into every street corner. Moving to a new place isn’t just about adjusting — it’s about grieving the life you left behind. I know this because I’m living it. This new city still doesn’t feel like home. But at the same time, it’s given me moments I never expected — things I had on my bucket list for years. And maybe that’s the lesson:
Sometimes, when life takes away, it also gives in ways we don’t see right away.
And sometimes, you even have to let go of the best version of your health. If you’ve ever worked out or trained hard, you know the feeling — being at your peak, strong and unstoppable. And then, suddenly, you lose it. Maybe life got in the way, maybe injuries held you back, or maybe your body just couldn’t keep up anymore. It’s frustrating, heartbreaking even, to feel like you’re losing the strength you once had. But in the end, it’s all about acceptance.
You accept it, and then you start again — not to be who you were, but to build something new.
Letting go isn’t about forgetting. It’s about accepting. Accepting that things won’t always go the way we imagined. Accepting that some doors close so better ones can open. And in that acceptance, we find the courage to move forward.
A caterpillar doesn’t cling to its cocoon — it surrenders to the change and becomes something greater — a beautiful butterfly.
So if you’ve been holding on for too long, maybe it’s time. Time to let go — not with bitterness, not with regret, but with the quiet trust that what’s ahead will be worth it.
And when you do, do it with peace. With hope. And with a smile.