The Courage to Let Go: Making Space for the Career and Life You Want

Letting go doesn’t mean knowing exactly what comes next.  It means being willing to make space for it.

We often think courage looks like bold leaps, dramatic decisions, or starting something entirely new.

But in midlife, courage often shows up more quietly.

Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is stop holding on to what no longer serves you.

There is a particular kind of bravery in letting go, not because it’s dramatic, but because it asks you to loosen your grip on what once made sense.

A role that once gave you identity but now feels like a cage.

A career that brought stability but quietly drains your energy.

A way of working, living, or being that feels heavy, outdated, or misaligned.

Here’s the truth many women discover in midlife:

You cannot step into the life and career you truly want if your hands are full of what no longer fits.

Letting go isn’t weakness.

It’s not failure.

And it’s not ingratitude.

It’s discernment.. and it takes courage.

Why Letting Go Feels So Hard in Midlife

By midlife, you’ve invested years , sometimes decades.— in building a life.

You’ve worked hard.

You’ve been responsible.

You’ve done all the thgs that were expected of you, and often more.

So when the life and career you've built no longer fits, it can feel deeply unsettling to even name it.

Many women I work with say things like:

• “I should be grateful , others would love this job.”

• “II have a good life, it feels irresponsible to want more.”

• “What if I let go and regret it?”

This tension is common, and understandable.

Because midlife isn’t just about changing circumstances...

it’s about changing identity.

Letting go often means releasing:

• old versions of yourself

• inherited expectations

• roles that once defined your worth

• stories about who you’re “supposed” to be

And that can feel frightening. Not because you don’t want change, but because you don’t yet know who you’ll become.

Letting Go Is Not About Failure. It’s About Alignment

One of the biggest myths around midlife change is that letting go means something went wrong.

In reality, letting go often means something went right.

You evolved.

Your values clarified.

Your tolerance shifted.Y

our sense of self deepened.

What fit at 35 doesn’t always fit at 45 or 55, and that’s not a problem to fix, it’s information to listen to.

Letting go in midlife is not about rejecting your past.

It’s about honouring it , then choosing what belongs in your future.

The Cost of Holding On Too Long

When women delay letting go, it’s rarely because they don’t know why.

And the cost of hodlding on too long shows up quietly, over time:

• persistent fatigue

• low-level resentment

• loss of confidence

• a sense of being “trapped”

• disconnection from purpose

Not always as a dramatic burnout, but a slow erosion of vitality.

This is why courage in midlife isn’t about pushing harder.

It’s about asking:

• What am I carrying that no longer belongs to this season of my life?

• What am I tolerating because it once made sense?

What You Make Space For When You Let Go

Letting go creates room.

When women begin to release what no longer fits, they often make space for:

• clarity

• renewed confidence

• energy

• creativity

• possibility

  
  

Not because they suddenly “know everything”, but because their inner world becomes less crowded.

Space is not emptiness.

Space is potential.

And midlife reinvention depends on space.

Letting Go Doesn’t Mean You Leap Immediately

This is important.

Letting go does not mean:

• quitting your job tomorrow

• burning everything down

• having all the answers

Often, letting go begins internally:

• naming the truth

• loosening emotional attachment

• questioning outdated beliefs

• allowing yourself to imagine something different

You let go in layers.

With honesty.

With support.

With structure.

This is exactly why rushing change rarely works, and why paced, supported transitions create lasting results.

The Courage to Let Go Is a Practice

Courage is not a single decision.

It’s a series of small, honest acts:

• choosing not to silence the inner whisper

• allowing discomfort without panic

• releasing “shoulds” that no longer serve

• trusting yourself enough to make space

Each act strengthens the next.

And over time, what once felt frightening begins to feel freeing.

How This Connects to Creating the Career You Want™

Inside Creating the Career You Want™, letting go is not an afterthought , it’s foundational.

Before women design what comes next, we gently release:

• outdated career identities

• limiting beliefs about age or worth

• inherited definitions of success

• fear-based decision patterns

Only then can something new be built, sustainably.

This is not about rushing change.

It’s about creating a career and life that fits who you are now, not who you used to be.

Reflection for This Week

As you move through this week, consider:

• What am I still holding onto out of habit, not alignment?

• What would I make space for if I trusted myself enough to release it?

• What part of me is ready for a new chapter — even if I don’t know the details yet?

You don’t need to answer everything.

You just need to listen.

Letting Go Is the First Step Toward Freedom

Midlife is not the end of everything meaningful.

It’s the beginning of something more honest.

The courage to let go is not about losing your past...

it’s about making room for your future.

And that courage already lives in you.

A Gentle Closing Reflection

If this piece has stirred something in you, let it do its work quietly.

You don’t need to rush.

You don’t need to decide anything today.

You don’t need a perfect plan.

Sometimes the most important step is simply noticing what no longer fits — and allowing yourself to tell the truth about it.

That honesty is where change begins.