Outgrowing Who You Used to Be? It's Okay If You Have

05/21/25 • 2 min

2 Listeners

It’s Okay If… Permission Slips for Mental Health, Self-Acceptance, and Growth

Sometimes, the life you built no longer fits who you are becoming. The old habits, the roles you played, the way you showed up in the world – it might feel familiar, but also a little tight, a little scratchy, like a favorite sweatshirt that doesn't quite belong to you anymore.

That’s not failure. That’s growth.

This short reflection explores what it means to feel the tension between who you were and who you're becoming. It's a quiet invitation to honor your past self – the version of you that got you this far – and gently let them go.

If you’ve been feeling the itch to evolve, the tug to shift, this is your permission slip to keep growing. You don’t have to stay the same to prove your worth.

That’s not failure. That’s growth.

If you’ve been feeling the itch to evolve, the tug to shift, this is your permission slip to keep growing. You don’t have to stay the same to prove your worth.

Previous Episode

Feel Like a Beginner Again? It’s Okay If You Do

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Starting over is never easy. Whether you're in a new job, a new city, a new relationship, or simply facing a new season of life, there's a part of us that resists feeling new.

It whispers things like, "I should have figured this out by now," or "I shouldn't feel this lost."

But feeling like a beginner isn't failure – it's growth in disguise.

This short reflection offers a gentle reminder that the discomfort of starting over is also an invitation:

"You’re not behind – you’re becoming."

If you're fumbling your way through something unfamiliar right now, you're not alone. You don't have to have it all figured out. It's okay to be new at this.

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Thought You Were Over It and You're Not? It's Okay If It Still Hurts

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Healing isn’t linear. Just when you think you’ve moved on – from heartbreak, betrayal, or someone who broke your trust – something small can bring it all back. A song, a post, a memory. And suddenly you're asking yourself, “Why does this still hurt?”

That doesn't mean you’re broken.

It means you cared.

It means you trusted.

And it hurt.

This short reflection reminds us that healing has no perfect timeline. Even if it’s been months or years, it’s okay if the sting still shows up. It doesn’t mean you’re stuck – it means you’re still healing.

If an old wound is still lingering, this is your permission slip to feel it without shame, to honor the ache without rushing it away.

It’s Okay If… Permission Slips for Mental Health, Self-Acceptance, and Growth - Outgrowing Who You Used to Be? It's Okay If You Have

Transcript

00:05

Hey, this is It's Okay If, bite-sized permission slips. I'm Mac Yohouli, and today's permission, it's okay if you've outgrown the old version of you. You know the one I'm talking about. The you who said yes to everything. The you who played it safe because it felt like survival. The you who built a life that maybe doesn't quite fit anymore. And let's be honest, outgrowing yourself can feel awkward, uncomfortable.

00:35

pretty lonely. It's like wearing your favorite s