I Thought Holding It Together Was Strength—Turns Out, Letting Go Was Stronger

For the longest time, I believed that strength meant enduring, holding it all in, and pushing through no matter how much it hurt. I convinced myself that if I just tried harder, worked longer, loved deeper, or stayed quieter, things would get better. But they didn’t.

One day, I broke. Not in a dramatic, world-shifting way, but in the quietest way possible. I couldn’t pretend anymore. I couldn’t hold it all together. The masks I wore for others—and for myself—started to crack, and I had to face a truth I’d been avoiding: I wasn’t okay. And that was okay.

Letting go of the life I thought I should have, the person I thought I needed to be, was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It felt like failure, like I was giving up. But what I’ve learned is that letting go isn’t the end—it’s the beginning. It’s making room for healing, for growth, for something better.

Now, I’m learning to live differently. I’m learning that strength is in saying “no,” in setting boundaries, in walking away from what no longer serves me. It’s in admitting when I’m scared, asking for help, and showing up as myself—even when I feel broken.

If you’re in a place where life feels heavy, I want you to know that it’s okay to let go. Let go of what hurts, of what’s holding you back, of the unrealistic expectations you’ve placed on yourself. You don’t have to carry it all alone. You’re allowed to take a step back, to breathe, to start again.

Sometimes, breaking isn’t the end of you—it’s the start of becoming who you were meant to be.