Missing Them Doesn’t Mean Your Breakup Was A Mistake

You’re allowed to feel sorry for yourself — but don’t feel sorry for this version of yourself, right now, the one who is about to embark on an invigorating new journey. Feel sorry for the old-you who accepted less than you deserved for far too long. Feel sorry for the you who felt like they were stuck in an uncomfortable situation, who was unable to see the EXIT door that was hovering behind them. Feel sorry for the you who was unable to enjoy life to the fullest because you were so busy trying to please others, so worried about doing the right thing on paper that you never stopped to ask yourself what the best thing for your heart and soul was. Feel sorry for the you that never thought you’d have the strength to do what you’re doing right now, to choose yourself, to decide you deserve so much more.

Remember, missing your past doesn’t mean your breakup was a mistake. It doesn’t mean you’ve made the wrong decision. Yes, the path you’ve chosen is hard — but it will be worth it in the end.

You’re allowed to miss your past and the people who were a part of it, even though theyweren’t well-suited for you. You’re allowed to miss how much easier everything was yesterday, allowed to wonder if you made a mistake by leaving it all behind, allowed to worry whether you’re ever going to come close to feeling as comfortable as you did back then. You’re allowed to cry over what you’ve give up, over the hurt that you’ve caused and experienced, over the fact that your life isn’t turning out anything like you imagined when you were younger.

But those thoughts don’t take away from the reality that you were not happy back then. There were happy moments, sure, but you were not in a healthy, emotionally balanced state overall. If you stayed, you would still be unhappy. You would be itching for more. You would be wondering what your life would look like if you had the courage to do what you’re doing right now. Be proud of yourself for making it this far because there was a time when this was only a daydream, a flickering what if, and you turned it into a reality.

You might be feeling down about yourself lately, but that doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice. You were forced to pick between two unfortunate situations–staying somewhere that didn’t suit you or venturing out into the unknown, which can be lonely and isolating, scary and intimidating. These waters aren’t easy to navigate, but you’ve been making it through all the same. And you’ve been making progress, even if it’s too gradual for you to see.

You’re allowed to have doubts about your decisions. You’re allowed to miss what could have been. But please, never wish that you dreamed smaller, that you accepted the unacceptable, that you settled for an existence beneath you. You’re on the right path and it might not have paid off yet, but it will one day. And that day will arrive sooner than you think.