You know that pretty purse you carry around?

The one that looks so cute on the outside, but the minute you need something, you're digging through receipts from six months ago, three lipsticks, loose change, a pen that doesn't work, and God knows what else. Half the time you can't even find what you're looking for!

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Well, life can be a lot like that lil cute purse. And, yet you keep picking it up.

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Over the years, we keep stuffing things into it. Hurt, guilt, anger, regret, shame, disappointment, broken promises, and things we probably should have gotten rid of a long time ago.

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Some of what's in that purse came from your own choices. But some of it was put there by other people. People who hurt you, betrayed you, abandoned you, or put you through things you never asked for and certainly didn't deserve. What happened to you may not have been your fault. But that doesn't mean you have to carry the weight of it forever.

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And I know, that's much easier said than done.

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Maybe you're waiting for an apology. Maybe you want someone to acknowledge what they did, understand how badly they hurt you, or finally take responsibility. And maybe the person you need to make peace with is yourself. Maybe you made mistakes. Maybe you stayed too long, trusted the wrong person, missed an opportunity, or made a decision you wish you could take back. You can acknowledge those things, learn from them, and take responsibility for what was actually yours without punishing yourself for the rest of your life.

 

Now, releasing doesn't mean forgetting. It doesn't mean what happened was okay. It doesn't mean you have to forgive someone, welcome them back into your life, or pretend the hurt never existed.

And it certainly doesn't mean grief, trauma, or disappointment will disappear just because you've decided you're tired of carrying them.

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Release is about changing your relationship with what happened to you.

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Remember what we said about mindset? This is where it comes into play. You may not have had any control over what someone did to you or what life took from you. But you can begin working on the meaning you give those experiences, the beliefs you've developed because of them, and how much influence they have over the choices you make today.

It takes time. Sometimes it takes help. And sometimes you'll think you've made peace with something only to have it come back and hit you all over again.

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That doesn't mean you've failed. It means you're human.

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But here's what I want you to understand:

You don't need someone else's permission, apology, or approval to begin letting go. Your peace cannot depend entirely on whether another person finally does the right thing.

So think about that purse you've been carrying.

You don't have to empty it all at once. And there may be things inside it that will always be part of your story.

 

But you do get to decide whether everything you've been through deserves a permanent place on your shoulders.

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Because there's a difference between carrying your experiences with you and allowing their weight to keep you from moving forward.