Not everyone who starts your journey with you is meant to walk alongside you forever. I used to think loyalty meant keeping everyone close, no matter what. But sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is walk away. Later in life, you’ll look back and see a map of where you came from, with many footprints joining and leaving your side, and it will be beautiful.
I’ve learned the hard way that closure, while painful, is often the best path to peace of mind. Experts agree that relationships have a major impact on our well-being and mental health.
Psychologist Rebecca Aquilina Bala notes that distancing yourself from toxic connections is crucial for emotional health. Her advice mirrors what I’ve discovered: sometimes the most caring act you can take is not for someone else, but for yourself.
From personal experience, setting boundaries can be transformative. Initially, I struggled with guilt and fear of confrontation. Emotions take over, and all you can do is live in this version of your life that is in your head.
However, taking a step back and looking at everything laid out in front of you can help you set those boundaries. Even if that means constructing alone time to recoup and recollect yourself. Having conversations like this helps not only with your own well-being but also helps build a more concrete idea of time management throughout your life.
When you have this newly found time to yourself, you are able to delegate time more effectively by looking at what truly deserves your attention. I have found that this has helped preserve my mental health while not fully burning bridges entirely. This approach aligns with advice from mental health professionals, who suggest that establishing boundaries is essential for maintaining healthy relationships.
Still, not every connection can be saved by boundaries. Some people simply don’t want to repair a relationship, and that realization hurts. People grow in different directions, and expecting someone to evolve at the same pace or in the same way you do is unrealistic. Chapters close. And if you want to continue forward on the adventure of life, you must sometimes be willing to say goodbye.
Saying goodbye is the realization that personal growth and putting yourself first are more important than those long, sleepless nights spent wondering what went wrong. It’s choosing peace over guilt, clarity over confusion and progress over nostalgia. Letting go doesn’t erase the memories or the lessons, but it does free you from the weight of what you were carrying. That kind of decision takes courage — the courage to accept that not everyone is meant to stay and that your well-being matters more than keeping the past alive.
In the end, saying goodbye isn’t about shutting people out, it’s about opening yourself up to the possibility of better relationships, stronger self-respect and the freedom to move forward without what holds you back. It’s an act of strength, not selfishness, and it can be the first step toward a life built on peace instead of pain.
Michael Dorwaldt is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Michael about their column? Email them at md557123@ohio.edu.
