for as long as i can remember, saying goodbye has been framed as both difficult and negative. sometimes, i could feel myself tensing up around upcoming goodbyes so much that i would consider avoiding them all together. goodbyes vary from parting ways with a person/a relationship as a whole, a job/career, an animal, an ideology/mindset, etc. what i didn’t (and still don’t) hear enough about is what happens after we say goodbye.

“goodbyes are often times introductions to ourselves.” -vienna pharaon

in saying goodbye to a toxic family member, i said hello to boundary setting and self respect. in saying goodbye to a job i grew to love unexpectedly, i discovered nonnegotiables for future jobs/my career as a whole. in saying goodbye to my favorite dog, i unearthed just how much i could love something or someone unconditionally. in saying goodbye to the need to please others all of the time, i have realized that i am not only more happy, but that the important people loved me even more for being authentically me.

who or what do you need to say goodbye to in order to get better aquatinted with yourself?

this post definitely made me think of one of my favorite jay z songs. the opening line is, “allow me to reintroduce myself…”

xoxo,

k. tap