When It’s Time to Close a Chapter

We love to celebrate beginnings. The excitement of landing a new job. The thrill of sharing that next step on LinkedIn. The hopeful energy of starting fresh.

But what we don’t often talk about is how hard it can be to close a chapter. How bittersweet it feels to step away from something you’ve poured years of time, energy, and heart into.

For me, this chapter was almost five years of growth, challenges, and milestones. It was long hours and tough projects. It was client relationships that turned into genuine partnerships. It was building teams that pushed through obstacles together and came out stronger on the other side. It was the season of life when I became a single mom during COVID, learning how to navigate parenthood and career in a world turned upside down.

This chapter shaped me. It made me a stronger leader. It taught me resilience. It showed me how powerful community and connection are when everything else feels uncertain.

And yet, even with all of that, I came to realize something important: sometimes growth requires walking away.

A peaceful landscape inviting new beginnings

Listening to the Compass Inside You

There comes a moment in many careers when you feel a quiet nudge inside you. A feeling that whispers: something here isn’t aligning anymore.

Maybe the work no longer excites you. Maybe the values don’t match your own. Maybe you’ve grown as far as you can in that environment. Whatever the reason, your inner compass starts pointing toward change.

The hard part? That change often means leaving behind a place where you’ve invested deeply. It means walking away from the comfort of being the “expert.” It means letting go of the safety of what you know in order to step into something unknown. It means saying "see you later" to coworkers who turned into your friends. And that’s terrifying.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned: staying somewhere that no longer aligns with who you are will cost you more than leaving ever will. Because no job, no matter how shiny the title or how great the paycheck, is worth sacrificing your authenticity.

A winding road symbolizing new journeys ahead

The Fear of Starting Over

It’s natural to feel afraid of starting over. To worry about losing your footing, your reputation, or your sense of stability.

But starting over isn’t a step backward, it’s a step forward in disguise. It’s proof that you’re willing to keep growing, even when it’s uncomfortable. It’s choosing courage over complacency.

And maybe, just maybe, it’s the reminder that you don’t need to be the expert right away. It’s okay to be the learner again. It’s okay to be the beginner. Some of the greatest seasons of growth in our lives come when we give ourselves permission to start fresh.

A tranquil lake reflecting the beauty of nature

A New Beginning Ahead

Closing this chapter has been bittersweet. I am deeply proud of what I accomplished, and even more grateful for the people who shaped me along the way. But I also know this: the only way to step into who I’m becoming is to let go of who I was.

So I’m choosing to honor the ending and embrace the beginning. I’m choosing to trust my compass. I’m choosing to believe that the unknown isn’t something to fear, it’s something to grow into.

And if you’re reading this while wrestling with whether to stay or go, here’s what I want you to hear:

• It’s okay to acknowledge when a chapter has run its course.

• It’s okay to prioritize your values over your comfort.

• It’s okay to start again, even if it means not having all the answers.

Sometimes the bravest thing you can do is walk away.

And sometimes, that’s the only way to grow.