Some months test us in ways we never imagined. Months when everything piles up, when finding the strength to keep going becomes a challenge, and when simply making it to the end of the day feels like an achievement. These past two months have been a whirlwind of emotions, thoughts, and experiences that, at times, I didn’t know how to process. It all began when I moved to this new place. From the very moment I arrived, I felt angry for no reason. I assumed it was because I had to let go of a place I loved to move somewhere else; I’ve never been a fan of change, as I find it difficult to adapt. Still, I tried to adjust and hide the anger it stirred up in me.
I was eager to start a semester full of adventure, only to watch my heart shatter into a thousand pieces over the course of two months. Not a single day passed without me taking a moment to cry and beg God to get me out of that place. I looked in the mirror and watched the vitality fade from my face. Before long, I lost the ability to focus on my studies and stopped eating; I was constantly exhausted, going to bed early just to escape my feelings for a few hours. I wasn’t giving my best, as I usually do. Yet, I would get up every day and put on a happy face to hide everything I was feeling from others. I forgot what it felt like to be alive.Until October arrived and saved my life.
One day, I woke up and decided to change everything; I knew something had to end. I began looking for a new place, hopeful that I would find somewhere I could feel at home. The universe conspired in my favor. Today, I find myself in a new place that reflects who I am. It restored my sense of purpose and my goals. It also brought wonderful people and, of course, a better environment in which I will complete my university years. I realized that you cannot stay in a place where you aren’t happy simply out of fear. Someone once told me that stories are written about brave characters, characters who dare to try, even when they are terrified. October came to me just when I needed it most, after months that had weighed more heavily on me than I could express, and without even realizing it, it rescued parts of myself I thought I had lost.
I wanted to share this story because I know you too have had moments in your life that felt like the light at the end of the tunnel. I want you to take a moment to visualize that situation, the one you emerged from, or the one you are afraid to leave behind. Carl Jung once said: “Every transformation requires, as a prerequisite, the end of the world, the collapse of an old philosophy of life.” This means no change happens without a goodbye. This goodbye isn’t necessarily to a person, but to a version of yourself that no longer fits into the life you are beginning, to things that once seemed important, to habits, beliefs, places, and people. Perhaps change is simpler: letting a chapter of your life end, even if you aren’t yet sure what comes next.
If you are reading this, this might be your sign to take the first step you’ve been so afraid to take. I hope October feels like a breath of fresh air for you, too. A time to reconnect with yourself, embrace self-love, and remember that you can always start over. Just as trees shed their leaves in autumn, may you find the courage to let go of what has already served its purpose, trusting that not everything that leaves represents a loss. Sometimes, letting go is simply making room for all the beautiful things yet to bloom.