Anything you can’t control is teaching you how to let go
Hold on or step away? Give it one last try or is this the end?
I left my home for this. My parents were upset. My friends were confused. Everyone was doubtful, but I was sure.
I was all of 23, when I stepped into the world of Business… again. This time, the stakes were higher, but so was the promise of reward.
Partnering with an almost stranger in a city that wasn’t home? Equal parts thrilling and terrifying.
No one understood what was going on in that monkey mind of mine. But something about this made sense. I could not put my finger on it.
My gut said yes, and that was all I needed.
The next few months made me put my business owner/entrepreneur hat on. It was a blur of late nights, early mornings, and caffeine-fueled brainstorming.
New people, new food, new challenges.
Every part of me was stretched thin, trying to carve my place in this unfamiliar world.
Every conversation, every meal, every quiet moment revolved around our startup.
My family eventually came around, and when they said they were proud, it felt like a warm blanket after a long, cold day.
I was able to take a sigh of relief.
But then the pandemic hit, and with it came a tidal wave of chaos. The office we had poured our money into was suddenly useless.
The lockdowns pushed us to virtual setups, and those four walls that once brimmed with energy became silent.
The disagreements with my co-founder were more frequent than the high fives. The silence of isolation amplified everything — our dreams, our doubts, and the gaping holes in our plan.
When the world began to open up, the cracks in our partnership widened. We had started as co-dreamers, but our visions began drifting apart.
I wanted to steer the ship in one direction; they saw another course entirely.
The difference of opinions grew louder, the synergy quieter.
Every conversation turned into a tug-of-war between our minds and our hearts.
The hardest part wasn’t the business challenges — it was realizing that the best decision for both of us was to let go. To let each other grow in different directions.
But how could I turn my back on something I had poured my soul into?
Something we had built with late-night debates, shared ambitions, and countless moments of grit and growth?
Sometimes, life doesn’t need you to fight so hard. It needs you to pause and pay attention.
When certain things become glaringly obvious—when the signs are no longer whispers but loud, relentless knocks—you don’t need to keep pushing against the tide.
Yes, we’re taught to hustle, to never give up, to fight tooth and nail for what we want. But sometimes, the fight isn’t the answer.
Letting go isn’t about giving up; it’s about knowing when to stop resisting what’s inevitable.
You still have to do your bit—show up, work hard, give it your all—but there comes a moment when holding on starts to feel heavier than the act of letting go.
That weight, that unease, is your gut telling you that it’s time to step back.
For me, that moment came when the vision my co-founder and I shared began to fracture.
Taking the tough decision to step aside wasn’t easy. It felt like tearing apart something I had nurtured, but it was also freeing. It allowed me to make space for what was next—new dreams, new challenges, and most importantly, a lighter heart.
Letting go is a lesson in trust—trusting yourself, trusting the process, and trusting that sometimes the universe knows what it’s doing.
Once I finally stepped away from the business, my life began to change in ways I couldn’t have imagined.
The next few years were transformational—I walked out of a toxic relationship (more on that another time), moved my family to a new city, and found my dream job.
Slowly but surely, I began growing into my real self, shedding the weight of expectations and embracing what truly mattered.
That friction, as uncomfortable as it was, turned out to be exactly what I needed. It forced me to reevaluate, to pivot, and to grow.
Yes, I do regret some things but those regrets came with lessons, and those lessons helped shape who I am today.
Letting go isn’t just about saying goodbye; it’s about making space for what’s next.
Here’s how I see it:
L - Listen to your gut; it often knows what your mind can’t yet process.
E - Evaluate what’s serving you and what’s not—be brutally honest with yourself.
T - Trust that letting go doesn’t mean failure; it means making room for something better.
G - Grow through the discomfort. Friction polishes even the roughest edges.
O - Open yourself to the possibilities that come when you release what’s holding you back.
Sometimes, what feels like end of one chapter is often the beginning of an even greater story.
Thank you so much for reading! If this post resonated with you, go ahead and like it — or leave a comment if you're feeling inspired!
Now, I’d love to hear from you:
What have you decided to let go lately?
Comment or Email your thoughts, I promise to reply back✨
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
I'm Sonali, and I speak for a living. From one of the quietest kids in class, I've found my voice as a Speaker, Author, and Coach.
I've reached over 100,000 viewers on Josh Talks and spoken at various business events and universities. I've also co-authored two books. I'm currently working on my first solo book about overcoming insecurities.
As a LinkedIn Top Voice in Public Speaking, I'm here to help you level up your presentation skills—sign up for my waiting list through this link.
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