At my age (rapidly approaching the legal highway speed limit), I have quite a bit of potential baggage that I could potentially carry into any potential new relationships. And I imagine I’m not the only one on the planet who is in this position.
In order to start fresh and give a new relationship a fighting chance, I suggest first wiping the slate as clean as you possibly can. You must close one door before the next one can fully open. It’s a matter of personal integrity.
I have watched too many friends hedge their bets by leaving the back door ajar. And you know what happens when you put one foot in the past and the other in the future? You end up pissing all over the present. (Sorry if that offended anyone.)
It may be gut-wrenchingly painful to let go of someone you love in order to have a chance to realize an even more satisfying partnership. But to do otherwise is downright dishonest. To reach for the brass ring, you have to take that leap of faith. You have to believe that your Higher Power has your best interest at heart and that all will be well if you have the courage to detach with love.
A new beginning can only happen when you have complete closure. It doesn’t mean you regret the past, it only means that you have learned, and grown, and are ready to totally embrace the next adventure with an attitude of true gratitude for the people, places and events that brought you to where you are today. Carpe diem!