I have been thinking about the keys I have kept over the years.
Keys from my first apartment. Keys from homes in England. Keys from houses we built later. At one time, each one represented access and responsibility. They marked seasons of growth, change, and movement.
None of them open the doors I walk through today.
That reality has stayed with me.
As my life has changed, I have had to confront something quietly uncomfortable. Strategies that once worked do not automatically continue to work. A response that once created stability can begin to create distance. A habit that once protected me can begin to interfere.
When a key does not fit a lock, forcing it does not solve the problem. It strains the mechanism. The key bends. The lock wears down. Continued force damages both.
I have had to recognize that increasing effort does not change whether something fits the season I am in. It only increases friction.
There have also been doors that remained closed. Not every closed door in my life signaled failure. Some did not open because they were not meant to open. I have learned to thank God not only for the doors He opens, but for the ones He closes and locks. With time, I have been able to see that what felt like resistance was often protection.
This reflection has required honesty. I have had to ask myself whether what shaped me is still serving me. There are parts of who I became for a reason. They helped me navigate a particular season. They made sense at the time.
The question is whether they still fit.
What are you holding that belongs to another address?
Perhaps it is a coping strategy that once preserved you.
Perhaps it is a version of yourself that knows how to endure but does not know how to rest.
Perhaps it is an expectation you continue to meet long after it stopped being required.
Recognizing that something has completed its work carries weight. It can also create space.
In this week’s episode of Dr. Katina Talks, I explore this more fully. I reflect on seasons, identity shifts, protection, and the discipline required to let go of what no longer fits.
🎧 Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://bit.ly/3MuGihk
If this reflection resonates with you, and you’re navigating change or feeling stuck between seasons, I invite you to explore deeper with Yellow Door Consulting. Together, we can help you clarify what you’re carrying and what no longer fits. Visit YellowDoorConsultin.com to learn more about how we can support your next step.
~Dr. Katina
