Letting go of the stories that held me tied to my past wasn’t easy. These stories—my interpretations of traumatic experiences—shaped how I moved through the world. Some were so deeply ingrained, they felt like my truth. Trusting myself to release them was difficult, but ultimately liberating.
The process of letting go usually begins with awareness. During my trauma recovery, I began noticing the stories replaying in my mind. Perhaps it was the belief that I wasn’t enough or the relentless need to prove my worth that bound me to these stories. However, when I finally saw them for what they were, I realized my reluctance to let go came from a fear of being seen, of being vulnerable—even though vulnerability was what I deeply desired. Facing my truth wasn’t easy, but once I did, it opened the door to a deeper kind of healing.
Have you ever paused to ask yourself, “Where did this belief come from?”
The process of acknowledging the source of these stories can be humbling. For many of us, these beliefs stem from early experiences of trauma, rejection, or societal conditioning. Although it seems painful to look back at how these narratives were formed, this is where healing begins. I’ve resisted this stage myself—because looking back can feel overwhelming. But when I faced those truths, I found something unexpected: grace and compassion for the self I was then.
These stories may have helped me survive, but they no longer serve me.
Next comes acceptance—not necessarily of the stories as “true,” but of the fact that they are part of my past. Acceptance doesn’t mean endorsing false beliefs; it means they no longer control me. Applying self-compassion is crucial here because it’s easy to dwell in the comfort of chaos: bound to cycles of shame or guilt, judging myself for believing those stories for so long. But letting go has involved accepting that I did what I needed to do at the time.
Do you find yourself replaying mistakes, wishing you’d known better?
With acceptance comes a kind of surrender, and from that surrender, something beautiful begins. I started thinking, feeling, and believing differently about my stories, realizing it wasn’t about erasing the past but reshaping how it influences my present. Instead of focusing on what once was, I began asking, “What do I want my story to be now?” For far too long, I felt unworthy of love, but when I started challenging that story, I finally allowed myself to receive love and love myself without conditions. The moment I shifted from victim to author of my story, I recognized I was becoming UnBound.
What story are you ready to write now?
Exploring and applying new perspectives requires courage and consistency. It’s not enough to just think about the shifts—they must be applied and lived! Whether it’s setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, or simply showing up as my authentic self, the process of thinking, feeling, and believing differently builds trust. I can and do believe I am enough, and I no longer need to carry the weight of old stories. I remember the first time I said “no” without feeling fear or the need to explain myself—it may have seemed small to others, but for me, it felt like UnBound Freedom.
As I continue to let go, I am finding a new kind of freedom—a freedom to live in the present, UnBound by the past. This is what UnBound Living feels like: the ability to move through life without the chains of old narratives. For me, it’s about learning to trust that I’m no longer defined by what happened before but by who I choose to be today.
Can you envision yourself stepping into a new story, living UnBound by the past?