Losing safe spaces and letting go of people that feel like home

Describe a phase in life that was difficult to say goodbye to.

It’s my first time answering a WordPress prompt and honestly, today’s topic couldn’t be more fitting for this season of my life, so why not?

More than leaving a country I spent years in, or walking away from a job I loved, the hardest goodbyes for me have always been people. Specifically people I considered safe spaces. I talk a lot about friendship breakups, both online and in real life… I could quite frankly write an entire novel on the subject. But living through one? That’s a story I wish I never had to tell.

The heartache you experience when you have to let go of people you deeply love is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. I often hear people say that it feels worse than romantic breakups and honestly, I wouldn’t disagree.

People I feel truly safe with are rare. So accepting that their presence in my life was only temporary, that they were here for just a season, has been incredibly difficult.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that even in heartbreak there’s always something to be gained. You learn to value yourself more. You understand the importance of boundaries. You stop prioritising others at the expense of your own wellbeing. You redefine what respect looks like in a friendship. And you grow.

The healing process is much slower and harder than I expected. But I know I’ll come out of this with a clearer sense of self, firmer values and a better understanding of the kind of friendships I truly deserve.