Moving On

How do you move on after you have bought into religion and discover that you need to leave? How do you move on after spending so much time in the church? I faced these tough questions and more. It’s easy for a non-religious person to say, “just don’t go back and live your life.” The truth is, the guilt distorts our view on life. Further, the lack of a supportive community can be lonely and scary.

When I left, I lost a lifetime of community, friends, and people I thought cared about me. It was incredibly lonely at first, realizing that what I thought was friendship was really just commonality. Slowly but surely, I have started to discover a new support group. Similarly, I have discovered a entirely new passion in life. Some steps I took in moving forward are as follows:

I was honest with myself.

I shared my thoughts and feelings with safe people.

The key word here is safe. Finding safe people is often a trial-and-error process. Don’t feel stupid if it doesn't always go well. 

I went to counseling.

I decided to pursue things that made me happy.

I sought out support groups.

There are many ways to deal with moving on. Obviously, it can be a bumpy ride. That’s one of the reasons why I became a life coach. I wanted to help people who have walked away from religion to realize they can be happy in this new life. You don’t have to walk this journey alone. We all need help. I’m very thankful for all the love and support I received. I couldn’t have done it alone.