You have to admire the power one holds to decide what no longer gets to tag along to the next phase of one’s life.
This year has had one of the biggest emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual impacts to date. I have learned quite a bit this year, and I have learned a great deal of those lessons through a bit of disruption, some loss, and significant moments of protracted and uncomfortable self-reflection. As I close this chapter, I’m releasing what no longer aligns with who I’m becoming.
And I’m not doing this in a dramatic way.
Or a rushed way.
Just quietly.
Releasing Survival Mode
The biggest thing I am releasing this year is the need to constantly be in survival mode.
This past year, I learned to refrain from acting from a place of constant readiness; always bracing, getting ready for the next thing to go wrong. That mindset once protected me. But this year taught me that staying there too long can quietly steal your peace.
Therapy is what made me realize that not every season deserves to be in armor. Some seasons call for rest, reflection, and trust. Learning that I can soften and not lose strength in the process was one of the greatest lessons I learned.
Releasing Unrealistic Expectations
I’m also releasing unrealistic expectations, especially the ones I placed on myself.
This year is not what I had planned. I had to shift around plans. I watched doors close prematurely. I watched the doors not open at all. For a while, I saw that as failure. I see it as a redirection.
Therapy gave me the understanding that growth can sometimes just look like standing still. It can look like taking a step back and making a different choice. I learned that I don’t have to punish myself for timelines that change.
Releasing the Need to Explain Everything
Another quiet release: the need to explain myself to everyone.
I do not owe anyone an explanation of my decisions. This year taught me how to make choices without considering people’s opinions, and it showed me how to let go of needing people’s understanding and how not to feel guilty for it. Therapy taught me the importance of emotional boundaries as well, and to keep and protect your peace, sometimes you just have to keep things to yourself.
Challenges That Shaped Me
This year has definitely been one for the books.
Losing all sense of direction and worrying about work, and getting sick were just a few struggles. I kept getting these feelings of exhaustion and a lack of willpower to stay strong. I began using therapy as a safe space to work through cycles and process things like feelings and experiences in a way that was free of criticism.
This is how I discovered that my mental and physical well-being and my sense of direction in life, my purpose, were so intertwined. I know that healing is not a one-time process that brings immediate results, but it does take a lot of focus.
What I’m Carrying Forward
While I’m releasing a lot, I’m also carrying important lessons forward:
- Trusting my intuition more than outside noise
- Allowing rest without guilt
- Choosing alignment over urgency
- Honoring progress, even when it’s quiet
Conclusion
Releasing it’s not about forgetting the past, it’s about honoring it without letting it define the future.
As I move into the next season, I’m choosing clarity over chaos, intention over pressure, and wholeness over perfection. And that, for me, feels like real progress.
For more on growth, check out my previous blog post: “Personal Growth: Who I’m Becoming.”
