Learning to Close Cycles the Right Way

If you want to do this, you have to know how to differentiate between closing cycles and losing something. Closing major chapters in your life always brings along loss and pain. But it’s never sudden or extremely painful like a true loss is. What this means is that closing a cycle always means loss, but loss doesn’t always mean having to close a cycle. 

The main reason it’s important to close cycles is that it plays a direct role on your future. No matter what kind of cycle it is, if it stays open it will get in the way of your personal progress. It’s like not doing anything about a leaky faucet and expecting it not to cost you more money or create more waste. That’s why, in this article, we’re going to show you some ways to close cycles.

If you want to close cycles, first you have to let go

As human beings, we tend to stick to what we know, no matter how negative it is. It’s a very strong habit that pushes us into total inertia. We see it as easier to put up with something bad but familiar than it is to go looking for all the good things out there.

That’s why so many of us are resistant to closing cycles. There’s a part of us that wants to keep doing the same things. We don’t want to have to feel doubt about the unknown.

This is also why the first thing you need to do is let go. A cycle closes when the whole process has ended and there are only scattered remnants left. Closing cycles is something you have to do consciously. You might not have anything to hold onto anymore, but that doesn’t mean you’re not still attached to it mentally. Letting go is a way of accepting a new reality.

Saying goodbye and creating a balance

Closing cycles involves moving away from painful realities, but it also involves some pain of its own. That’s why you have to let yourself experience the sadness endings bring with them, and say goodbye to the reality that’s about to disappear. The best way to do that is to create a memory of what you went through.

You can’t close cycles by just burying your head in the sand like an ostrich. Looking the other way won’t work either. The best thing to do is to think back step by step on every single experience that was part of this process. Pick out the beginning, the most important moments, and the feelings you experienced.

Once you’ve done that you can create a balance, an evaluation of the positive (or complex) experiences you had in this cycle. What it taught you and what it didn’t, for example. Or what it did for your growth, and what effect it had on your limitations. This is by far the best way to say goodbye.

The time to start again

The main purpose of closing cycles is to come to peace with your recent past. The point is to move forward without letting your past experiences affect you or take over your present. Every ending means a new beginning. That beginning is where you should put all your attention and effort.

New things don’t have to be scary. It’s normal for things to be a bit shaky at first, but it won’t take long for them to reveal their good qualities. There’s something adventurous about moving from the familiar to the unfamiliar. You’ll always learn new lessons, be surprised, and of course, adapt. Most of the time, these changes give you a lot more than they take away.

Closing cycles is absolutely essential for your mental health. If you don’t close them, the future will just feel overwhelming and confusing. When it comes to the past, you have to give it a nice funeral and say goodbye. When it comes to the unknown, the future, you have to welcome it with open arms, and an open heart.