When Is It Time to Leave?

Have you ever found yourself in a role that once lit you up—but now feels like it might be holding you back?

Recently, I’ve been working as First Aid and Welfare Lead at a home education festival. It's a role I took on when my boys transitioned out of school. Their dyslexia and other learning challenges made it hard for them to access the curriculum, and I found myself thrown into educating them out of desperation.

That moment changed everything.

A Role That Grew With Me

What began as a leap into the unknown became a deep journey of learning. Over time, I evolved this role organically as the festival itself grew. I started out as an unsure volunteer in a team of four, and now I manage a team of 14—and this year, I also co-founded a new welfare team.

But here’s the turning point: this is also the year I chose to step down.

Why Step Away When It’s Going Well?

Because it’s time. And that’s what I want to explore here:

When should we push through discomfort and grow in a situation—and when is it no longer the right place to be?

Our egos and patterns of behaviour often cloud our decision-making. Thoughts like:

• “I can’t do it.”

• “It’s too hard.”

• “No one else will do it.”

• “No one else will step up.”

You’ll likely recognise some of these. I did. And if you’re like me, you’ve probably seen the same patterns play out again and again—across jobs, relationships, homes.

You try to change things… and still end up in the same emotional spot.

Is It You, or Your Beliefs?

When we notice this repetition, we might assume we need to "fix" ourselves—clear our childhood traumas, shift limiting beliefs, heal something deep.

And maybe we do. But how long will that take?

For me, the breakthrough came when I began noticing my own pattern. I used to believe that I had to be the one to step up. I also liked having a role—it gave me purpose. I didn’t want to just be.

That motivation wasn’t inherently wrong, but it lacked healthy boundaries. I’d throw myself into a role at the cost of my energy, my health, and precious time with the people I love. They became secondary.

What’s Changed?

I’ve learned to choose from a deeper place. A wiser part of myself. I no longer say “yes” out of habit or obligation.

Now, before stepping into something, I check in with my body. I ask:

• Will this serve me?

• Will it serve my family?

• Is this aligned with what really matters?

Then I notice how I feel. Through practice, I’ve become attuned to the yes or no signals in my body. That inner knowing is powerful.

Can You Feel It Too?

Have you ever had a gut feeling you followed? Or a quiet knowing in your chest or mind?

We all have those tells. What does yours feel like? And how can you listen to it more?

This is something I now teach in my course—and it’s what helped me make one of the clearest decisions of this year: to step away from a role I loved but had outgrown.

Letting go opened the door for someone else to step in—and for me to move forward with integrity.

Your Turn:

Is there a role, habit, or commitment in your life that no longer feels aligned?
What might happen if you let it go?