I got home after a long day, exhausted, not really in the mood to think about anything. I had “Final Song” by MØ playing in the background.

Taking it back to my AP English days for a second…

To me, this song is all about holding on, fighting to keep something alive, refusing to let it all end. And that hit me hard. Because the truth is, sometimes we cling to things, relationships, jobs, or habits — not because they are good for us, but because we are scared to let them go. We don’t want them to end, but maybe they should.

That song came out in 2016, and if I’m honest, that’s the last time I felt unadulterated, pure ecstasy. I was maybe a little wild and free-spirited, but I was happy. I moved through life trusting my intuition first and believing things would work out, and they always did. I was in grad school, dating the hottest pilots because like most girls, I definitely had a pilot phase, and I had hobbies out the ass. Now my life is mostly just work, and it has been that way for a while. I want that 2016 vibe back. Before we were all so plugged into our phones. Before we needed constant validation. Back when life had that perfect mix.

And suddenly I was thinking about everything. Lent ending. Easter coming up. My habits. My life. The ways I have continued to numb myself instead of quitting what or who is draining me. I’m guilty of it. And you probably are too.

How We Numb Ourselves

It made me think about all the ways we numb ourselves instead of facing the truth. Alcohol, sex, food, shopping, scrolling, anything that gives us a quick hit and lets us ignore the things we know aren’t working. I’ve done it. I still do it sometimes. And the more I sat there, the more I realized most of us do it every single day.

We distract ourselves from the job that crushes us, the relationship that’s “fine” but empty, the city that never felt like home. We’re all just trying to survive discomfort instead of actually living. Quitting is hard. It doesn’t come with applause. It comes with questions, doubts, and sometimes judgment. So instead, we numb ourselves and tell ourselves we’re fine while slowly checking out of our own lives.

Lent as a Wake-Up Call

And that’s exactly what Lent makes me think about. Not just giving things up, but waking up. Stripping away the distractions so you can see what’s actually underneath. The habits, the people, the routines that are holding you back. The discomfort that could actually lead you somewhere better if you faced it.

Living in Alignment With Yourself

If you’re religious, the goal is simple. Live in alignment with God. Not with approval of man, not with comfort in mind, not with everyone else’s expectations lingering. If you’re not religious, the truth is still nearly the same. Live in alignment with yourself. Wake up proud of the life you are living even when no one else is watching. That’s where real change begins.

What Life Could Feel Like Without Numbing

Imagine what life would feel like if we all stopped numbing. Less noise, less proving, less pretending. More honesty, more clarity, more courage. Less clinging to what’s over and done. More leaving behind what and who drains you and starting over in ways that scare you.

Not perfect, not easy, but real.

And real is exactly what we need right now.