The Art of Unlearning

If you’re wondering whether there is a typo in the title, there most certainly isn’t one. Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the world, no one really teaches us to take a step back and evaluate all the things that no longer work in our favour.

The art of unlearning is just as if not more important than the act of learning something. Giving up on something even if it is putting you into an emotionally and mentally toxic place is seen as a sign of weakness and even looked down upon in many cultures and traditions.

But what happens when holding on takes more from you than letting go of a trait that no longer serves its purpose. Taking a break to evaluate something is thought of as taboo in a world that wants you to work 24 x 7 either on yourself if not in your job.



Why does every skill or talent have to be converted into a financially viable business and why shouldn't I question the rules of the world? Shouldn’t we all get a chance to evaluate what works best for us without harming those who are close to us? I am a sum of everything that has happened to me in the past, of all the people that I have loved and all the things that I have done. The person who is writing this blog is very different from the person who I was 2 or even 3 years ago, maybe even a year ago.

Why should I run from my grief when I can use it as fuel to turn it into something that I can be proud of in the future? But it all started with a change, it all started when I started to shift my perspective about how the lessons of my past have stuck with me.

The period of transition when you are letting go of the things that don’t work for you could be one of the toughest transitory periods in your life. You would even land up hating yourself for the things that you have done in your past cause they no longer align with your values and principles. While this blog post may seem a bit more personal shouldn’t your life be that way too. Curated to what makes you tick, what makes you happy rather than simply following what the world defines as ‘necessary’ for a good life.


While there are many people out there who preach the need for constantly upskilling and learning new things, which I agree can be very important if you want to forward your professional career, learning to let go or unlearn skills and things that no longer work for you is equally important if you want to maintain an emotionally healthy life.

Someone once told me that no matter what happens it is very important to have a sense of purpose or something to look forward to in life. How is that entirely possible when you refuse to acknowledge that certain things from your past are not working in your favour anymore? May you all have a great day and God Bless!


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