There have been times in my life where I’ve found myself feeling that familiar pull to go back to something I know—both in my gut and in my head—isn’t in my best interest. It’s that strange combination of comfort and curiosity that makes you want to revisit the past, even when you already know how the story ends.

Somewhere along the way, I adopted a saying that always helps me stay strong: “Don’t pick the scab.”

When a wound is healing, the skin itches. That itching is actually a good sign — it means your body is doing its job. But the temptation to scratch it, to pick at it, is real. And if you do, you only make it worse. You interrupt the healing. You start the process all over again.

Life works the same way. We all have our versions of that “itch” — the job that felt familiar but drained us, the friend who disappointed us again and again, the relationship that brought more confusion than clarity. It’s easy to convince ourselves that this time it might be different. But most of the time, going back only slows the healing we’ve already fought so hard for.

The discomfort, the itch, is part of moving forward. It means we’re healing. It means we’re growing past what once did not serve us.

So when that urge to go back creeps in — to reopen something you’ve already closed — remember this: you’re not missing out on what was, you’re making room for what’s next. It’s a bummer and a blessing that we do not get to know what’s next, only that there is something waiting for us on the other side.

Healing and moving forward takes patience. But the new skin that forms — stronger, smoother, and whole — is always worth the wait.

XX,

MG