There’s almost nothing more freeing than the feeling of a fresh start. It’s why people move hundreds of miles away from home, or perhaps to another country, to start life afresh. It’s how people can spend years successfully coping with an addiction, despite once being convinced it was impossible. It’s why so many women are starting their businesses today, and it’s why giving yourself the credit you’re due and vowing to treat yourself better is so important. But how exactly do you go about starting fresh while still maintaining aspects of your old life that you still love? It involves closing a chapter in life on a difficult time and starting a new one.
When the past weighs on you
The past can be an uncomfortable weight that follows you everywhere or seems to come at the worst times. If you’re struggling, you will have to come to some sort of a conclusion about it or risk getting run down over time and feeling defeated.
Another risk is not feeling prepared for the future. You also might be so consumed with the past that you cannot enjoy or even focus on the present.
Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to close the chapter on a hurtful time with confidence. But how can you do that?
The insights below can help you on this journey:
Remove yourself from a situation when closing a life chapter
It’s true that there can be times when you cannot progress unless you are in a totally different environment. That might mean having the strength to move away from a toxic partner or a discouraging group of friends. It could mean moving to another town, or perhaps closing down social media for a while.
What matters is identifying how your environment influences your thoughts and actions, and if you can change them. For some people, going to a therapist can make all the difference.
It’s important not to take your environment for granted. That doesn’t mean applying all the blame to them but instead finding a new place for growth.
Learn a lesson and make a change
It’s important to learn the lessons of your past difficult chapters, rather than to pretend they never happened. That’s the harder of the two options.
Of course, it’s tough to learn a lesson when you’ve been a victim. But perhaps you can become stronger and more independent, or more ready to identify certain people or situations to avoid moving forward.
Also, the lessons don’t always show clearly right away. They can take a lot of time to unveil. It can be months, a few years, or several years down the road.
Making a change can mean taking responsibility in some cases, while in other cases it can mean taking a step back from a negative situation. Taking responsibility when you are at fault allows you real humility and growth, and it gives you ownership of the situation.
A professional can help with closing a chapter in life
Professional aid, such as using the services of a lawyer for domestic violence cases, can be tremendously helpful. They can help you litigate in the best possible sense, finding justice for the victimization you have felt, while also helping you get some kind of emotional closure by consequence.
It is important, though, to never treat a lawyer like a therapist or medical professional. But it can truly help to have someone on your side to fight your case.
I hope the words above help you with closing a difficult chapter in your life with care. It might be tough, but it can be so worth doing it. Cheers to a new, more positive chapter ahead for you!
Amen Christy! These are some key action steps right here. I love what you said about removing ourselves from toxic environmental situations. We agree 100%. There is a saying that goes, “You can’t heal where you’ve been hurt.” It’s true, I believe. Sometimes the reminders of a painful past in a place are just too strong to stay. Those fresh starts can genuinely give us the courage to stand again, grow again, and move into the live we’ve dreamed of. Staying stuck is not a place anyone deserves to be. Emotional pain weighs on us like few other things can. Leaving the familiar can be incredibly painful and difficult, but the reward is so great on the other side!
Learning the lesson is also critical to our success. You’re right, sometimes we just need to forgive, bless, and move on. Other times we need to ask forgiveness, and then learn from our mistakes. Sometimes the damage is repairable, others not. At times we must forgive ourselves, extend that grace to ourselves, and trust that as we grow, we become much better people.
Thank you for your wisdom and encouragement, my dear friend. You’ve written this so beautifully in the way only you can. I’ve shared & hope others come to be helped by your insights too! 😘 Lots of love to you!
Thank YOU for always appreciating the main points and cheering me on, Holly. Wishing you light, love, and all things positive xx
I pray the very same for you, my friend. You are very special! 💛
Thanks, Holly! You’re sweet xx
Closing a new chapter in your life is always hard but it gets us out of our comfort zone. One close chapter, opens doors for a new one
So true! Closing one door leaves room for a new one to open.