Sometimes in life you have to accept that the time has come to let go and move on, even if it means that you may make people around you unhappy. I had a conversation with a friend recently about knowing when was the right time to (as he put it) “burn bridges”.

He’s one of these people that gets very worried about not wanting to make the people around him unhappy. And so he finds himself unable to help them move on or move on himself. All this does is lead to several unhappy people.

Unfortunately, we can’t always make or even keep everyone else happy. Often they are not even as happy as they think, but instead just comfortable in their current state. People are afraid of change, and being scared makes them hold on even tighter even if the thing they are clutching is really not the right thing for them - it’s what they know.

At some point, somebody has to identify and then accept what it is that is important for them and their happiness. This may mean changes, large or small. It may mean, unfortunately, hurting the people around you if they are not a part of that vision. But sacrificing happiness for someone else’s satisfaction is a guaranteed path to resentment in the future.

The truth is that many times it is not a case of burning bridges, but instead just finding the courage to move from being fixed on the bridge, to cross to one end or the other and simply allowing yourself to find another path. If the people around you are your true friends and honestly care about you, they will understand and even eventually (if not now) support you in your quest for happiness. The important thing is to follow your heart!!