🫶 Holding On 🫶
hi, lovely humans. ☁️
if we haven't met yet, my name is Lex, and i'm one of the listeners here on 7 Cups. being a listener means so much to me. i love being able to give people a safe place to talk, be honest, and feel heard without judgment.
i don't think listening is about fixing someone or having all the answers. sometimes people just need someone to sit beside them through the hard moments and remind them that their feelings are okay to have. everyone deserves to feel seen and understood. 🌿
mental health can make life feel really heavy sometimes.
there are days when we're doing our best just to get through the day. we can smile, talk to people, and act like everything is okay while carrying so much underneath. sometimes we're tired in ways sleep can't fix, and sometimes our minds hold onto things our hearts are begging us to release.
letting go can be one of the hardest parts of healing.
sometimes we hold onto old memories because they're all we have left of something. sometimes we hold onto people who hurt us because we still love them. sometimes we hold onto guilt, anger, regret, or the version of ourselves we used to be.
and sometimes we don't even realize how heavy something has become until we finally try to put it down.
🌸
but letting go doesn't mean what happened didn't matter.
it doesn't mean you have to forgive someone before you're ready. it doesn't mean you have to forget. and it definitely doesn't mean you have to stop caring.
sometimes letting go simply means deciding that something doesn't get to control your future anymore.
life can be incredibly hard, and healing isn't always about becoming a completely different person. sometimes it's about learning how to carry your past without letting it weigh down every step you take.
you deserve to have room in your heart for new things too. 🤍
so today, i want to gently ask:
🌿 what are you still holding onto?
maybe it's a person, a memory, a regret, a fear, an old version of yourself, or something you haven't quite found the words for yet.
you don't have to share anything you're not comfortable with. even recognizing it quietly to yourself is a form of progress.
🌼
and please remember that you don't have to carry everything alone.
if you ever need someone to talk to, vent to, or simply sit with you through a difficult moment, my PMs are always open. no judgment, no pressure. just a listening ear. 🤍
be gentle with yourself today.
you've been carrying enough already. 🌷
@LexListens2025
@ShadowFaerie @unassumingEyes @Sunisshiningandsoareyou @sadcat13 @Amanda84 @goldenduckling @mytwistedsoul @Tinywhisper11 @LovemyMoonflowers @GreenLime3141 @7Bear7 @Phoenixthepoised @Torean @GentleHealingInitiative @cyanessence @YourCaringConfidant @CaringEzra @NobleSeeker @fossilfellow @BastionKnight @trueconfidant123 @safeplace288 @lovingCat6978 @reservedOwl321 @dapperNest2125 @Creamyyy @naturesbeauty1234 @bubbleSummer9800 @peachThinker662 @warmheartedHuman836 @Mansbestfriend @Paliloveyourself @Magicpawsoffuture @SelfCareMatters @TovaCares76 @sabeyesofblue3535 @Ailuraphilelove8tear9 @charmingApple8098 @luvArisu @BlueDarkAurora @RunningMachine @daydreammemories @curiousbookishness @sympatheticPlace3743 @musawva @KindleMissie @WellsFiction @Angelanj @SlappyMcGee @jesusredeemedme2425 @bubblePerson5643 @creativeScarf316 @cheerfulKiwi1776 @SparkyGizmo
@LexListens2025
Once again your posts lighten me up..
🌿 what are you still holding onto?
Well past things I have said to people I shouldn't. Stuff that might have hurt them and out distance between us. And I m feeling guilty for that
@cheerfulKiwi1776
I can really understand why you’re still holding onto that guilt. When we know something we said may have hurt someone, it can be hard not to replay it and wish we could go back and change it. 💛
But I also think the fact that you feel bad about it says a lot about how much you care. You recognize that your words may have created distance, and that awareness can be painful, but it also means you’ve grown enough to see things differently now.
Sometimes we can apologize and try to make things right, and sometimes the other person may still need space. Either way, you don’t have to keep punishing yourself forever for something you regret. You can take responsibility for what happened while also giving yourself permission to learn from it and move forward. 🌿
You deserve to grow from your mistakes, not live inside them. 🤍
@LexListens2025
Thank you lex. This answer helped me realize some things. I think guilt is a really bad feeling and it can fog your mind up. Thanks for clearing thst fog out for me ✨️💜
Ayo, Lex!
My personal problem is that I learn nothing at all in terms of life experience. Such people exist, and that's me. Perhaps that's why it's so difficult for me to live this life.
I can memorize a poem or a multiplication table, but my own or other people's experiences give me nothing. That's how I live. :)
@RedOceanSun
Sorry, this is a copy of a post from another thread of yours.
@LexListens2025
In general, I'm holding on to the sky.
@RedOceanSun
Im so glad you have something you’re holding on for. 🌄
@LexListens2025
Hi Lexxxxxx! 😊❤️
Many thanks for this amazing forum post and for tagging me! 😊 ❤️ This is so incredibly deep, beautiful, thought provoking. It's an opportunity to reflect, to consider so very many things.
What am I still holding on to?
I'm doing my best to only hold on to things that are still worthy of being held.
We as people change, grow, evolve. Over time, letting go of things can be quite freeing. Whether it be thoughts, feelings, things, processes, relationships and whatever type of "ship" those may be.
Loss of the ego is something I consider daily. I try to self monitor and consistently let any semblance of that ego go. Did someone say something that bothered me? Well, why did that bother me? Was it true? Well maybe I should work on that 😊 Was it not true? Well, if it wasn't true, seems as if it's a "them problem" and not a "me problem" and I can consider what another persons motives are, if I choose to even consider such a thing. In the end, loss of the ego (and considering the source) helps a great deal to just live the best life that you can and move along to more productive things. If things upset you for overly long, always good to figure out just why it has.
Forgiveness. It's good to lose any negative feelings, animosity, grudge, etc. We can forgive others with out them even asking for that. If we do that over and over and over with the same person, it's good to consider that it may be time to let someone lose access to us. It's hard to forgive someone for stomping on your foot, when they are still standing on it, so it could be time to let that person go.
Obama said "once we have lost hope, we have lost everything". I get the meaning and it's a good one. In addition to that, I also say "once we have lost hope, we have gained everything" as somethings need to be let go of, and completely, permanently.
Keep nothing in your house that is neither beautiful, nor useful. And if you have something in your home that carry's with it, a negative feeling, a bad reminder of the past, a past person, that looking at whatever that material procession may be, brings you pain... get rid of it. Lose it, let it go. If it's pretty or worth money, sell it, donate it, gift it to an acquaintance that would deeply appreciate owning it, and someone's home that you most likely would never visit. Let it go.
Keep 10 % of your space open. It sends a message to the universe that you are able, willing to receive more, should the universe so choose. It's good to share, it's good to donate, it's good to consider what is clogging up your space, holding you back from a well organized environment. Organized space can assist with an organized mind.
Lose comparison to others. Move through life with a non compete clause. The only person you should compete against is yourself and your last greatest victory. Always better, never bitter. You can only do your personal best and it's really what the world should expect of you (and what you can expect of yourself). There will always be someone bigger, faster, stronger, prettier, smarter, wealthier than you. Celebrate their victories with them 🥳 It feels good! 😊 If there is something to learn from them ask them to mentor you, help you along. Lose envy, jealousy, greed.
Losing a sense of entitlement is pretty good too. Humbling ones self with the understanding that the world really doesn't owe you much at all. Neither do others in it. It's good to consider ones expectations and if they are in alignment with what is reasonable to expect. Losing over reaching expectations can be helpful from time to time as then, well.........maybe some people with really surprise you. Maybe some people will really "show up for you" and in all of the right ways. This will help to show gratitude to them and appreciation for them. ❤️
Hoping that everyone can consider losing lots of things today! Hoping everyone can cling to the good, worthy and meaningful. ❤️
Thanks again for such a great forum post Lexxxx! 😊❤️
*high fives* 😊 and *hugs* ❤️
@SparkyGizmo
I absolutely love the way you looked at this question and how you connected letting go with growth. ❤️ I especially liked what you said about only holding onto the things that are still worthy of being held. I think sometimes we hold onto things simply because they have been part of our lives for so long, even when they no longer serve us.
Your point about forgiveness really stood out to me too. Forgiving someone doesn't always mean giving them another chance to hurt us. Sometimes forgiveness is about releasing the anger while still choosing to protect ourselves and our boundaries. And I love the reminder that we can forgive someone while still deciding they no longer get access to us.
I also really appreciate what you said about comparison. It can be so easy to look at someone else's life and feel like we're falling behind, when really we're all moving at completely different speeds. Celebrating someone else's wins while continuing to work toward our own is such a healthier way to look at life. 🌿
Thank you for sharing such a thoughtful perspective and giving everyone so many things to reflect on. There is definitely a lot here to sit with and think about. Sending those hugs and high fives right back! 🥰❤️
@LexListens2025
❤️❤️❤️
@SparkyGizmo Your insightful thoughts are really impressive! Many thanks for sharing this and make us feel better.🥰 Just as you mentioned, I always keep a place for something that is not delightful in my life, simply because I consider them as part of my life experience. Sometimes I cant fall asleep at night, thinking about them or even have nightmares and scream out. Reading your words, I think it's really a good time for me to clear up the room of my heart. Again, thank you so much for bringing me the courage to face my old bad memories and change.
@Pufffffy
You are most welcome my friend! 😊 ❤️ I'm simply glad that I said something, anything that could be of help to others.
*high fives* 😊 and *hugs* ❤️
Hi, Lex!
I'm still holding onto certain people that I know would probably forget about me like they did a few months ago and be completely oblivious to the fact or make my disappointment about how bad that they felt when I said something. It's just that group of people, and I am trying to go back with a different set of expectations, but I am afraid that I am making the wrong decision. The FOMO really gets to me.
@Paliloveyourself
Hi! ❤️ I can really understand why this feels so complicated. It sounds like part of you knows that this group has hurt you before, while another part of you still misses the connection and doesn’t want to feel like you’re missing out. That can be such a hard place to sit in.
I think it’s really important that you mentioned going back with a different set of expectations. Sometimes we can’t control whether people change, but we can pay attention to what they actually show us and decide what we are comfortable accepting. You don’t have to completely cut people off or fully throw yourself back into the group either. It’s okay to take things slowly and see how they treat you this time.
And honestly, FOMO can make letting go feel so much scarier. Sometimes we’re not necessarily afraid of losing the people themselves, but afraid of missing the memories, conversations, or feeling of belonging that we wish we had with them. 🌿
Whatever you decide, try not to judge yourself for wanting connection. That’s such a human thing to want. Just remember that you deserve friendships where you don’t constantly have to wonder whether you matter to them. You can care about people and still protect your own heart. ❤️
Thank you for always having the sweetest and understanding replies!!
@LexListens2025
Howdy felllow listener.
I have my 8yo springer spaniel. His brain has seemingly been pre-programmed to perpetually smile. Sometimes, that's all we need. A smiling dog (or a purring cat if that's more your style).
@LexListens2025 nice 2 meet u
Trauma. Memories.
