As life passes, phases do as well. Good times and bad, all shining light on the fact that most parts of life are fleeting. It then depends on what we bring to the future that helps us grow or decay.

With time comes change and growth. It’s never promised that things will benefit with time, but the choices we make bring new opportunities and a possibility for a better version of what used to be. The most important aspect of any change though is to “stop watering dead plants.” These can be unhealthy relationships, jobs or even places that don’t make you feel whole. It’s not worth it.

There are people who pine day after day to improve the very things that are holding them back. Sometimes they don’t even realize, but eventually, the flourishing life they once saw will disappear, and all they’ll be left with is soggy dirt. Cutting ties with things early on gives more time to invest in other opportunities. Change is good. It can lead to the best years of your life. It can also lead to the worst, but by taking that step forward — to leave dead plants in the past — doors are opened for a brighter future.

Sometimes even the best of us hold onto things we didn’t realize were falling behind. We become so excited for the next stage that we don’t even notice the weight we’re dragging along. Then there are those who never plan to let go. They focus too much on what has already passed—so consumed with a memory that it blocks the way forward. So break up with someone controlling, find a job that excites you in the morning and find things that push you to better yourself. These dead plants haunt everyone, but leaving them where they belong gives a clean break and a fresh start for something far better.

Change is hard. Change is good. It shows us all the amazing things we had and all the possibilities we have yet to encounter. Getting rid of things that happened in the past or drag us down in the present gives more room for something better to take its place. By focusing on the positives that once were, we can appreciate everything that has happened while preparing for the opportunities that are to come. Stop watering dead plants for the sake of your own happiness. There’s never a promise that things will get better. Trusting the process is really all any of us ever had but look how far it has taken us. Throw away the crispy leaves and the damp ground. It’s time to let sunlight in for a happier future.