A Clean Slate

Dear Not So Secret Diary,

We all reach moments in life where we need a clean slate. Sometimes it comes after heartbreak or loss. Sometimes it’s when we’ve outgrown the version of ourselves we once clung to. Other times, it’s just a quiet nudge from within. A whisper that says, “It’s time for something new.” Clean slates come in many forms. For some, it’s a new environment: a move, a new job, a fresh start. For others, it’s a mental shift: deciding to think differently, feel differently, or finally let go. No matter what form it takes, a clean slate gives us permission to release the old and create space for what’s next.

Trying to become someone new was really hard for me. I knew I had to let go of past habits, I knew I had to pick up new ones, I knew all the things. I was wrestling with the application portion of the lesson. Whenever I did right, I felt unfulfilled. Whenever I did wrong, I felt ashamed. It was as if I couldn’t win either way. I was chasing perfection instead of presence, and that chase left me empty. This wasn’t sustainable. I needed help.

One morning, I woke up tired of carrying the weight of who I used to be and the pressure of who I thought I should be. That’s when it hit me: maybe what I needed wasn’t more doing, but more allowing. Maybe I didn’t need another “fix.” I just needed a clean slate. A clean slate for me meant starting over. It meant removing all the good and the bad from the room and just… looking at the walls. Looking at the space. Sitting in the empty. Sitting in the silence. Right might be right, but if it didn’t feel right to me, it wasn’t going to last. So instead of trying to force change, I needed to allow it time to naturally align.

I wanted my clean slate to be fun and the only way that could happen was with an open mind. This was my time to explore what truly worked for me. My preferences. My rhythms. Instead of forcing myself to “eat more vegetables,” I asked: Which ones do I actually enjoy? How do I like them cooked?

That small shift reminded me: the clean slate isn’t about doing everything “right.” It’s about discovering what feels right. Having an open mind allows us to release the mindsets that kept us boxed in. It’s where curiosity replaces pressure, and grace replaces guilt.

A clean slate only works when your mindset moves with your actions. You can rearrange your life, shift your surroundings, and set new goals but if your thoughts stay the same, the story will too. Renewal begins within. It starts with grace, with patience, and with the quiet courage to think differently about who you’re becoming.

The beauty of a clean slate isn’t that it’s empty. It’s that it’s open. Open to rediscovery. Open to joy. Open to showing up for yourself in new ways. You don’t have to have it all figured out; you just have to stay open, stay curious, and let each day meet you where you are. And if you’re in this space too (trying, learning, becoming) know that you’re not alone. We’re all finding our rhythm one clean slate at a time.

Warm Hugs,

Capree'