Just Let It Go

Let’s be real—how many times have you held onto something you know you should’ve let go of ages ago? Maybe it’s that fight with your bestie where you’re both in a silent “who texts first” standoff. Or that cringey thing you said to your crush three months ago (and somehow it’s still playing on loop in your head). Maybe it’s even bigger—like guilt over a mistake you can’t undo or being mad at someone who probably doesn’t even remember what they did.

Here’s the thing about all that baggage: it’s heavy. It clings to you like a bad habit, and even though you hate it, you don’t let it go. Why? Because it’s hard. Hard to move on, hard to stop overthinking, hard to just let it be.

But here’s the truth: holding onto it doesn’t make it better. It doesn’t fix what happened. All it does is weigh you down. And the second you decide to let go, something magical happens. No, really.

Why Do We Carry This Stuff Around?

Carrying baggage feels so normal we don’t even realize we’re doing it half the time. It’s like when you’ve got too much in your backpack—it starts out fine, but the longer you carry it, the heavier it feels. Emotional baggage is just like that. It’s the grudges, regrets, and old hurts we stuff into our brains and carry around everywhere we go.

So why do we do it? Because we’re human, and letting go is scary. Sometimes it feels like holding onto the pain gives us control. Like if we don’t forgive someone, it somehow punishes them. Or if we replay that embarrassing moment enough times, we’ll magically undo it. (Spoiler: we won’t.)

The truth is, holding on doesn’t hurt them, and it doesn’t fix the past. It just hurts you.

What Letting Go Feels Like

Imagine you’ve been wearing a super heavy coat all day. At first, you barely notice it, but by the end of the day, it’s suffocating. Now picture finally taking it off. That’s what letting go feels like.

The first thing you’ll notice is how light you feel. Like you can finally breathe again. At first, it might feel weird, even empty. You’ve carried this thing for so long, you don’t know what to do without it. But then, slowly, the relief sets in.

You start noticing things you didn’t before—like how good your morning coffee tastes, how much fun it is to hang out with friends without that drama cloud hanging over your head, or how pretty the sunset is when you’re not busy overthinking everything.

And the best part? You stop giving energy to the things (or people) that don’t deserve it. That fight, that mistake, that one person who let you down—it stops living rent-free in your head.

How to Actually Let Go

Okay, so letting go sounds great, right? But how do you actually do it? Don’t worry—it doesn’t require some big dramatic move or life overhaul. Start small. Here are some tips:

1. Write it all out

Get your phone, open your notes app, and just dump everything in your head. All your feelings, thoughts, and frustrations—write them like you’re texting your bestie (except don’t send it). It’s weirdly freeing.

2. Set a time limit on overthinking

Here’s the deal: you’re allowed to obsess, but only for a little while. Set a timer for five minutes. Vent, cry, scream into a pillow—whatever. But when the timer’s up, it’s done. Move on to something else.

3. Talk it out

Sometimes, the best way to let go is to just say it. Call your best friend, your sibling, your mom, or even your dog (they’re great listeners). You’d be surprised how much lighter you feel when you let someone else carry a bit of the load with you.

4. Distract yourself

Do something that makes you happy. Watch your comfort show, go for a walk, bake cookies, or blast your favorite playlist and have a one-person dance party. Fun fact: it’s hard to hold onto stress while you’re dancing like a maniac.

5. Remind yourself it’s not about them

Letting go isn’t about excusing what happened or pretending it didn’t hurt. It’s about choosing your peace over the pain. Because at the end of the day, you deserve to feel free.

The Glow-Up You Didn’t See Coming

Here’s the best part of letting go: you start to glow. Not in a “I bought a new highlighter” way (though, love that for you) but in the way you carry yourself. You’re lighter, freer, and just better.

People notice it, too. They’ll be like, “What’s different about you?” And you can just smile and say, “Oh, nothing,” knowing you’ve finally let go of what was holding you back.

Letting go doesn’t mean you’ll never feel hurt or stressed again—it just means you’ll stop dragging the past into your future. And honestly? Life feels a whole lot better that way.

So, let it go. The fight, the regret, the ghosting, the overthinking—whatever it is you’re carrying, it’s time to put it down. Trust me, you’ll thank yourself later.