I just had a huge moment of growth. As I was looking at my phone contacts, I noticed my old therapist’s number on there. Usually I would feel saddened by the fact that I can no longer reach out to her for help on a regular basis like I used to. I have come to realize that it’s okay.

I looked at her number and smiled. It was a smile of gratitude. Gratitude for everything we had gone through together, and everything I had learned from her. I no longer feel compelled to reach out. I know I have grown because I don’t need as much outside validation from others anymore. There are moments in life when I do need help from others, and there’s a difference between getting help from people vs. relying on them. I know that now. The only person I can rely on is myself, and even that’s not 100% all of the time. I need to live by my values and keep my commitments when I make them.

Smiling on the past gave me such relief of a burden I didn’t need to be carrying.

There is only now. It’s freeing.