Letting go of something you poured your heart into – a job, a relationship, a project, a version of yourself – can feel like betrayal. But sometimes, what once fit perfectly no longer feels like yours to carry.

This short reflection reminds us that releasing something doesn’t erase its worth.

The effort mattered.

The time mattered.

And choosing to let go doesn’t mean you failed – it means you’re growing.

If you feel that quiet nudge today, this is your permission slip to honor what you built and still choose to move forward.

00:05

Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Matt Gilhooly, and today's permission, it's okay if you wanna let go of what you built. This one, it's tender. Because sometimes we pour ourselves into something, a career, a relationship, a project, an identity. We build it, we nurture it, we fight for it. And then, one day, we feel it. That tug, that ache.

00:34

Maybe this isn't mine anymore. I felt it in my work life. I felt it in creative projects that I've worked on. I've even felt it in versions of myself that I worked really hard to become. And I'll be honest, it's scary. Because we tell ourselves stories like, I invested so much. Or, but what will people think if I let this go? Or even worse, but this is who I am.

01:04

But here's what I'm learning. Letting go of what you built doesn't erase the effort. It doesn't mean it wasn't valuable. It doesn't mean you failed. It means you're ready to make space for something new. So if you're feeling that tug today, that quiet knowing that what you built isn't yours to carry anymore, you can let it go. You can honor it and you can still move forward. So if you're up for it, tell yourself.

01:32

I give myself permission to let go, even if I built it with love, even if it mattered, even if it's hard. That's your permission slip, friend. Tuck it in your pocket, and I'll see you next time.