How Do You Leave?

By Jasmine Blennau


The question, "how do you leave," has stuck with me for a couple of weeks now. Depending on what a person is going through at this particular time of their life, he or she may interpret the question differently.

How do I leave my lifelong home for a job in a different state?

How do I leave this relationship that isn't fulfilling?

How do I leave my roommates at college when I graduate?

How do I leave this unbalanced friendship?

How do I leave my parents and get my own place?

How do I leave?

The answer is, you just do it. It's going to hurt but if it's going to lead to what you really want you have to do it. Leaving is difficult because change is scary. Nobody likes the idea of leaving a life behind in New York to start over somewhere else. Nobody likes going through a break up. Nobody likes saying goodbye to people they care about. The truth is that if going through that pain is leading you to a place where you want to be: the start of your career, the freedom to be solo, or just a fresh start, then it's worth it.

The way I see it, the idea of staying can be more frightening than leaving.
Sometimes you have to take a risk in order to grow.