Closing a chapter in life is not always easy. According to Urban Dictionary, closing a chapter in life means putting the past behind. Whether it’s relationships, careers, losses, and friendships.
Turning a page and starting a new chapter can be scary, painful, and heartbreaking.
Quite frankly closing certain chapters in our life can often seem impossible. We constantly find ourselves grasping and holding on to it for as long as we can because we are so afraid to let go and keep going.
I was guilty of doing this too for the longest time. I was so afraid to accept the fact that it ended that I kept running away from it. I held on to the past for as long as I could without realizing that by doing this, I was keeping myself stuck.
As painful as it may seem but in life, there will always be certain moments that will end. Moments where we need to let go, accept change, and close the chapter.
It may seem impossible at first but it can be done. Here are a few tips that’ll help you learn how to close a chapter in your life and move forward.
1. Allow Yourself To Sit With It and Reflect
When we close a chapter in our life, we are often guilty of running away from everything that we are feeling and choosing to keep all our emotions bottled up.
I’m definitely one of these people. Instead of facing the loss, the pain, and the heartache, I chose to set all my emotions aside and pretended like nothing ever happened. I thought that this was helping but it wasn’t.
When you’re turning a page in your life, it’s important to allow yourself time to sit with all the emotions that you are feeling. Allow yourself time to reflect on what happened. Time to process. Time to grieve.
I’ve learned that by allowing ourselves to feel all our emotions, we are also opening ourselves up to healing and letting go.
2. Be Kind To Yourself
It’s important to always be kind to yourself, especially if you are going through big changes and tough times.
There’s no use in beating yourself up and criticizing your every decision and action, it will only make you feel so much worse.
Instead, learn to be kind to yourself. You are going through a scary, painful, and hard time, learn to acknowledge your strength and courage for facing this.
Cheer yourself on and be your best friend.
3. Reflect On All The Lessons That You’ve Learned
Regardless of what chapter in life we are closing, there is always something to learn. Some lessons that we have to take with it us in the future to help us improve as a person, become better, stronger, and wiser.
Even in painful and tough times, there are powerful lessons that we can take with us that will help us in the next chapter of our lives. What has the pain taught you?
What knowledge did you gain in closing this chapter of your life? How has this moment shaped you into a better person?
4. Forgive Yourself
When closing a chapter in life, it’s important to forgive yourself for the mistakes that you have done in the past.
You have to stop beating yourself up. For you to finally be able to focus on the present and this new chapter in your life, you have to make peace with those mistakes and let them go.
Remember that we all make mistakes. We all fail and we all make bad decisions. The important thing is what we do next and how we will use them to grow into a better person.
Forgive yourself. You too as much as anybody else deserves forgiveness. It’s time to set yourself free and allow yourself to grow and move forward.
5. Define Your Priorities
When you’re going through a transition in life, it’s normal to feel lost, confused, and stuck at first. If you just left your job or walked away from a relationship, you may find yourself wondering what to do next.
Defining your priorities and figuring out what’s important to you will help you navigate this transition in your life.
Take the time to sit down and ask yourself what’s really important in your life. Doing this will help you decide on what opportunities to say yes to.
It will help you manage your time better and help alleviate the stress and overwhelm of trying to do everything at once.
6. Find Support
Closing a chapter in life can be difficult and painful. You may think that you have to carry this pain on your own. I felt this way too.
I isolated myself from everyone thinking that I have to do it alone. I thought that reaching out to other people will make me look weak and unable to solve my own problems but that is certainly not the case.
Asking for help and talking to someone about it doesn’t diminish your strength. In fact, I’ve learned that opening yourself up to someone that you trust takes a whole lot of courage and strength.
Remember that you don’t have to do this alone. Talk it over with a loved one. Someone that you are comfortable with and someone that you trust.
Doing this will help you see things from a different perspective and it will help alleviate the burden that you’re feeling.
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7. Plan What Action To Take Next
Now that you are beginning a new chapter in life, for you to fight the feeling of overwhelm and worry, sitting down and planning on what actions you will do next is an important step.
If you’ve just walked away from a job, revisit the skills that you have and that you’ve gained. With the skills that you have now, what career can you take up next?
What passion can you pursue now that you have time on your hands? Write down all your goals.
After figuring out those goals write down all the actions that you need to take to be able to achieve those goals.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, remember that you don’t have to take huge leaps. You can take small and easy steps if you have to. Those small steps that you take every day will still lead you to your goals.
8. Don’t Be Afraid To Open Yourself Up To New Opportunities
For you to be able to fully close a chapter in your life, you have to allow yourself to open a new one and move forward.
Opening yourself up to new opportunities and stepping away from your comfort zone can help with that. I know it can be scary, especially if you have gotten so familiar with the old chapter.
You may find yourself wanting to stay there and hold on to the past as much as you can. Remind yourself that just like everything in life, you too have to move forward. There is still so much in store for you.
You are capable of achieving great things. Allow yourself to grow and explore.
9. Open Yourself Up To Change and Embrace Uncertainties
Change can be scary. Ending a chapter in your life can be intimidating and debilitating. You may find yourself wanting to stay still instead of accepting change.
I get you. I feel the exact same way too. Years ago, I was going through a very difficult transition, it was painful and heartbreaking.
I knew I needed to embrace the changes in my life but instead, I found myself standing still, not wanting to move forward and not wanting to let go.
I was afraid of the future. Afraid of all the uncertainties now that my life was turned upside down because of this chapter ending. But doing this only made it more difficult for me to heal.
It only made me feel worse. Change is scary but it can also be a good thing. Change can also equal freedom, healing and happiness.
Don’t keep yourself stuck because you’re afraid, life is by far too short and too precious for that. You have to live every moment of your life.
Embrace the journey of life, change and all of its uncertainties.
10. Take It One Day At A Time
Endings are not always easy. When you’re going through a tough transition it’s important to take it one day at a time.
Breathe. You don’t have to have it all figured out right away. You don’t have to tackle everything at once. You don’t have to make huge changes right away.
Just take it one day at a time. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Give yourself some grace and don’t forget to show yourself some love. You can do this.
The world is still so full of beautiful things that you have yet to discover. There is still so much love and happiness waiting for you.
Keep going at your own pace. Don’t let anyone pressure you. This is your story.
Final Thoughts
I know that closing a chapter in life can be terrifying and overwhelming. It can be scary to think that you’re stepping into something new and starting over.
Remind yourself that by moving forward you are also opening yourself up to growth and healing. Keep going and live every moment of your life to the fullest.
There are still so many opportunities in life that are available to you. It’s time to set yourself free from the past, focus on the present and look forward to what the future holds for you.
You deserve happiness and love and all the wonderful things in this world. Start a new chapter and live the best life.
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