When we embark on our healing journey, whether via therapy or through various means of self-exploration, we often tend to think of it as a process of learning; a process of "adding" on something - learning new strategies, developing better habits, or creating new goals.

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An equally important and relevant part of our healing is "subtracting" - unlearning the ideas, beliefs, values, and behaviors that are no longer serving us.

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Something which makes the process of unlearning insightful and revelatory is the realisation that the aspects we are attempting to unlearn did not originate within us. The ideas, beliefs, and values that we have internalised as "ours" are, in fact, long-term conditioning through our immediate environment and ecosystem - caregivers, peers, society, systems, etc.

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While these revelations might shake up our sense of identity, it can also be incredibly liberating to claim - "This isn't who I am any longer" and consequently moving towards - "This is who I choose to be now."

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As the process of unlearning continues, there emerges a sense of Self that is authentic to who we are as individuals; instead of being products of our ecosystem.

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Unlearning is a subtle, behind-the-scenes process that often goes unnoticed. However, it is a transformative process that paves the path towards the return to Self.

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