Almost a month ago, I shared a deeply personal LinkedIn post that struck a nerve — for me, and for many of you. Nearly 4,000 impressions, close to 100 reactions, almost 50 comments… For many, that's small potatoes — for me, it was an extraordinary moment of connection. It wasn’t planned. It was just me sharing a piece of my life which was having an impact.
In case you missed it (or, like most of us, forgot it by now), here’s the essence of that post:
"After 26 years, I was emptying my house.
The house where we raised our daughters. Where Bailey the golden retriever and two mischievous bunnies left their pawprints all over our hearts (in addition to a few baseboards!). Where a revolving door of foster dogs came through, each teaching us something about love and letting go. The house where Steve died …
I expected grief.
Instead, I found freedom.
Letting go — of the photos, the toys, the files, the endless "just in case" items — turned out to be more than a practical exercise before a big renovation. It was a reset. A clearing of physical space, yes. But more profoundly: a clearing of psychic space. And it reminded me — in a very visceral way — that life, real life, happens in movement. Not in the holding on, but in the letting go."
Adlerian psychology calls this teleology: the idea that we are drawn forward by goals, not pushed by the past. Alfred Adler put it simply:
As I packed up each drawer, emptied each shelf, I could feel it: I wasn’t just closing a chapter. I was making room for the next one to be written.
Letting Go Is Never Easy
But let's be honest: transitions — even the ones we choose — are rarely easy.
I remember when I emigrated from Europe to the United States in 1993. It was for love — to be with my American partner, and future husband, Steve — and it was thrilling. But it was also excruciating.
Leaving behind my family, my lifelong friends, my culture, my language — my entire self — was an act of hope wrapped in heartbreak. Every step felt like a paradox: elation at the life ahead, and unbearable grief for what I was leaving behind.
No better song to illustrate how I felt:
"Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
I don’t know …"
That's the truth about threshold moments. They are rarely clean. They are messy, painful, disorienting — and yet, necessary.
In the moment, we often feel torn apart.
Only later do we realize: we were being rewoven.
Neuroscience shows that when we step into new territory, we are literally rewiring our brains — pruning old pathways and forging new ones. It’s not smooth or comfortable. It’s more like hacking a new trail through the jungle. But that’s how growth happens: synapse by synapse, choice by trembling choice.
The Space Between No Longer and Not Yet
I see it everywhere:
- In my coaching clients who leave jobs, hoping for something better — and sometimes finding it, sometimes not.
- In older friends and family members who downsize homes and move into retirement communities, not because they want to, but because life asks it of them.
- In relationships that shift, evolve, sometimes rupture, as people outgrow old patterns and search for something more true.
In each case, the in-between is hard. The space between what we were and what we will become is filled with fear, doubt, second-guessing.
Buddhism calls this suffering: the pain that comes from clinging to what is already slipping away. The practice, Buddhism reminds us, is not to cling tighter — but to let go more gently. Not to resist change — but to move with it, trusting that life is unfolding exactly as it should.
Growth Hides in the Ashes
Of course, sometimes the thing we reach for turns out exactly as we hoped.
The new job is a dream.
The new home feels like a blessing.
The new relationship blooms in unexpected ways.
And sometimes… it doesn’t.
The grass on the other side of the fence turns out to be scorched.
The new boss is worse.
The new place feels lonelier than the old.
The fresh start doesn’t sparkle the way we imagined.
And yet.
Even then.
There is growth.
There is wisdom.
There is the slow, painful, beautiful expansion of who we are.
It doesn’t happen despite the disappointment — it happens because of it.
Because we dared to move.
Because we trusted movement more than fear.
A Few Words to Carry With You
"In the process of letting go, you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself."
- Deepak Chopra
And this, from Rumi:
What Will You Make Room For?
So I leave you with the same question I asked in that LinkedIn post — but today, maybe you’ll sit with it a little longer:
What do you need to let go of, to make space for something new?
Maybe it’s something physical.
Maybe it’s an old story about who you are.
Maybe it’s a relationship, a job, a version of yourself that no longer fits.
Whatever it is — trust the clearing.
Trust the discomfort.
Trust the growth that’s already quietly happening inside you.
And remember:
You are not losing the past.
You are making room for what’s next.
Your Challenge for April:
Choose one thing to release.
Name it.
Thank it.
Let it go.
And know that growth — in all its messy, miraculous glory — will meet you there.
READY TO MAKE ROOM FOR WHAT'S NEXT?
If you’re clearing space for your next chapter and wondering how to move forward with more clarity, confidence, and joy — I have something special for you.
I’m offering Joue Ta Vie coaching sessions at a special rate for May — just $299 (normally $399)!
Joue Ta Vie (“Play Your Life”) is a revolutionary and playful method rooted in Positive Psychology and western philosophy that helps you:
- Unlock your potential
- Build resilience
- Reconnect to your purpose
- Gain clarity to make powerful decisions
- Strengthen confidence and take meaningful action
In just one 2-hour session, you’ll experience real breakthroughs — quickly, joyfully, and meaningfully.
Past participants call it “life-changing, powerful, and immediately rewarding.”
If you're ready to free yourself from old baggage and step boldly into your next chapter, this is your invitation.
Special pricing available until May 31st: Use code MAY25
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHALLENGE COACH NEWSLETTER
Are you ready to receive exclusive insights, tips, and strategies to help you overcome your challenges and achieve your goals? Then sign up for The Challenge Coach's Newsletter today!
As a subscriber, you'll get access to:
- Actionable tips and advice from The Challenge Coach
- Inspiring stories
- Discounts for coaching programs and products
... and much more!
Don't miss out on this incredible opportunity to stay connected with The Challenge Coach and take your personal growth to the next level. Sign up now and join our community of driven, determined, and empowered individuals.
