IT’S TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO OLD VERSIONS OF OURSELVES

If you’re reading this, you probably clicked because something in the title hit home. Maybe you’re standing on the cusp of change, or maybe you’re wading through the weird, murky waters of letting go. Either way, you’re in good company. Because, girl, same.

There are about four people from my past that I dream about. A lot. Not necessarily replaying old scenes or patterns I had with them; almost worse. They show up to play anyone and everyone in my dreams lately. It’s no secret that these four folks were big players in my life and played very significant roles both good and bad. As I have been shifting more and more in the powerful, heart led, bad b*tch I was always been destined to be, I fiiinally started to become conscious - like - girl, stop - this isn't the way.

 These folks keep showing up for me in my subconscious not because I haven’t let them go but because I haven't let those versions of me go. I realized this level of “moving on” requires me to handle my past like a Fabrege Egg. I needed to sit with those versions of me and bring her up to speed. “Girl, we’ve moved on. We’re safe now, and it’s safe to forgive yourself”. It’s time to say goodbye to it all. 

Why Can Letting Go Feel So Impossible

We all love a good quote about growth, transformation, and blooming into our next selves. We post them, put them on T-shirts, tattoo them on our bodies (I have ‘be present’ tattooed on my wrist, so no shade!). But here’s the truth: those words are nothing more than letters put together until we have had enough lived experience to embody them. And while I have let go of so many people, places, things and dreams from my past - I feel coursing through my veins - it’s time to say goodbye. 

This hit me with full force after delivering a recent TEDx talk. Yes, I’ve talked a lot about transformation, about carrying pieces of our former selves, about honoring where we come from. There’s a difference between honoring your past and dragging it along for the ride. Sometimes, we gotta let those old parts metaphorically “set out to sea” and trust that they don’t need to be carried in our psyche any longer. I have finally become conscious that I am no longer interested in living from life from my past but rather I want to live my life from a place of possibility. 

The Quiet Narratives that Hold Us Back

Have you noticed that as soon as you’re minding your own business and moving the plit forward, that told familiar voice shows up. It typically sounds like, “Stay humble” “Remember where you came from” or “Who do you think you are now?” I’m gonna take a swing here and say - quite confidently - that isn’t YOUR voice but the voice of old outside criticisms. We tell ourselves we’re staying “grounded”, but what we’re really doing is keeping ourselves small. This phantom humility isn’t saving us; it’s holding us back from fully blooming.

I know I’m not alone in this. We all have those relationships — the “soul contracts” that shook us to our core, challenged us, maybe even left some scars. I still dream about those people, not because I want them back, but because I haven’t gone back and fully said goodbye to that version of myself. The subconscious hangs on, but i’s time to lay those old stories to rest, and lovingly release them - or tell em’ to kick rocks. We tired. LOLZ. And lastly, I didn’t stay in certain relationships because they were all bad. There was joy, laughter, and growth. But spoiler: we have moved on y’all! I’m married, I’m a mom, a business owner, a woman standing in a new phase. I’m a baddie and I don’t have time for anything other than growth, love, creativity, and the power of possibility. 

How to Start Saying Goodbye

This isn’t about a dramatic ceremony (though, light a candle if you want to!). Sometimes, it’s as simple as grabbing your journal and spending five minutes before work, just sitting with the emotions. Let yourself revisit those past versions of yourself,  acknowledge what was lost, forgive what needs forgiving, and affirm: “I am not that person anymore and that’s okay.”

Your body and brain may not know the difference between an old hurt and a new one; the nervous system reacts all the same. So, give yourself the gift of closure. Tuck those old stories into bed. The next time something triggers a pang of nostalgia or pain, you can say, “I’ve already honored that. I’m ready for what’s next.”

Embracing the New (Imperfections and All)

Standing in our own power, trusting ourselves to live fully in the here and now is the scariest part for many of us. What would your life look like if you harnessed your actual power every single day? Mistakes will still happen. People may misinterpret you, or you might make a wrong move. But guess what? That doesn’t rob you of your worthiness. True power comes from accepting that we are both divine AND human.

Letting go is a discipline, a practice, and a wild act of self-love.

Sit down and honestly journal:

• What old habits, beliefs, or relationships are you still holding onto?

• Acknowledge both the pain (and the beauty) of what you’re releasing.

• Notice what comes up when you try to step into something new: Is it really your voice saying, “Don’t brag,” or is it someone else’s old script?

• Give yourself permission to own your space, your achievements, and your desires.

Your Turn

Here’s your permission slip: You get to say goodbye. You get to bloom. Listen to this episode “Say Goodbye to Who You Used to Be: Part 1 of The Reinvention Series,” on all platforms. 

I’m rooting for you! Tune out, tune in. Love you, mean it.