“Why Walking Away Isn’t the End: It’s the Beginning of Rediscovering Yourself”

“Healing begins the moment you stop chasing what’s breaking you and start choosing what’s building you.”

For the longest time, I held on to certain attachments not because they were healthy, but because they were familiar. They gave me a false sense of comfort, even if they also held me back, drained me, or kept me feeling stuck. I used to think I was being loyal. I used to think if I just gave more love, more time, more energy something would shift. But over time, I realized: some people aren’t meant to grow with you. Some patterns are just meant to be broken.

Leaving those attachments wasn’t easy. It took me years of inner work to understand that I was still holding on because of my own unhealed trauma a deep fear of abandonment, a need for emotional validation, a belief that maybe this is the best it gets. But healing doesn’t happen when you stay stuck in cycles that echo your pain. Healing begins when you step out of them.

After I walked away, something shifted. Life started to feel lighter, newer. The air around me felt breathable again. I started noticing things I hadn’t before, my interests, my energy, my self-worth. It felt like I was slowly coming back to myself. But with that, came a caution I want to share.

When you leave an old, unhealthy dynamic, your nervous system doesn’t instantly reset. You may meet someone new who feels like a breath of fresh air. They’re different, they’re kind, they feel like everything your past wasn’t. But here’s the truth: sometimes we latch onto new people too quickly, not because we’re ready to love, but because we’re desperate to escape the emptiness that healing temporarily brings.

There is a risk of using the rush of new love as an emotional escape. And while the new person may not be toxic, your old wounds can still color the way you connect. You might feel overly attached too soon. Or put them on a pedestal just because they’re not hurting you the way someone else did. It’s understandable. But it’s also a reminder to slow down. Observe. Reflect. Keep choosing yourself first.

You’re allowed to take your time. You’re allowed to analyze what you want, what feels right, and where you’re still healing. You don’t have to rush into proving you’ve “moved on.” Because healing isn’t linear. It’s layered. Sometimes it means being alone for a while, not lonely just intentional. Learning how to be with yourself without needing someone else to fill the silence.

I’m still on this journey, and maybe you are too. If you’ve just walked away from something that was no longer serving you, I want you to know: that was an act of courage. Don’t minimize it. And don’t pressure yourself to have it all figured out right after.

You are allowed to rediscover your individuality, your rhythm, your capacity to love but from a space that is whole, not from a place that is trying to feel whole. Healing isn’t about moving on fast. It’s about moving inward.

And from that place, everything that’s truly meant for you will find its way.

With Strength & Smiles,

Shruti