The Power of Belief: Letting Go of Who You've Been
“The reason that people won't become who they want to be is because they are too attached to who they have been.” - Lisa Nichols
This quote hits deep - because I’ve lived it.
We often talk about transformation like it’s a one-way path forward. But the truth is, transformation first requires us to let go. To peel back the layers of who we think we are. And that’s terrifying - especially when who we have been has brought us a sense of identity, security, or belonging.
What Are You Attached To?
We form attachments not just to people, but to patterns, roles, and familiar versions of ourselves.
Even when they no longer serve us, we cling to them - because letting go can feel like loss. And sometimes, we’d rather stay in the comfort of our past identity than risk losing the people, routines, or feelings that feel like "home."
I get it. I lived it.
My Personal Reckoning with Identity
Ten and a half years ago, I met my version of rock bottom.
My first love passed away in my arms - after a life already marked by trauma, loss, and challenge. His death was the final earthquake that shattered what was left of the foundation I had built my life upon.
Up until then, I was deeply attached to the version of myself that had found some semblance of stability. I was finally surrounded by people who felt like family. I was loved. And I was afraid.
Afraid that if I evolved into who I truly wanted to become, I would lose everything I had just begun to receive.
“If I step forward into who I want to be… maybe I’ll lose what I have now.”
That fear held me captive for a long time.
But death teaches us what nothing else can: Life changes, whether we’re ready or not.
Letting Go Isn’t Loss - It’s Liberation
In time, I came to see that the attachments I thought were keeping me safe were actually keeping me small. And ironically, what I feared losing most—love, connection, purpose—was waiting for me on the other side of surrender.
Life continues. People grow. Circumstances evolve.
And it’s okay.
Through the chaos and heartbreak, the one thing I chose to carry forward was gratitude.
Gratitude for each breath.
Gratitude for every connection.
Gratitude for the pain that shaped me.
Gratitude for my family.
Gratitude for the chance to honour myself - even when it hurt.
Questions to Anchor You
If you find yourself clinging to who you've been - ask yourself:
Who do I want to be in this present moment?
Will I choose to love myself… or fear myself?
What legacy—what energetic footprint—do I want to leave behind in this world?
These questions aren’t meant to be answered once.
They are invitations - daily, gentle prompts that can steer the direction of your life with clarity and compassion.
Final Thoughts
Belief isn’t just a mindset.
It’s a bridge - from pain to purpose, from fear to freedom.
You are allowed to release the past.
You are allowed to become someone new.
You are allowed to grow, even if it means outgrowing old versions of yourself.
Because the greatest belief you’ll ever hold…
is the one you choose to place in you.
With belief in your becoming,
Chantelle
