Not All Treasure is Worth Keeping

You Thought You Had the Treasure

The dungeon didn’t scare you.

Because you had treasure.

Your pack was full—glistening gold, enchanted gear, relics of hard-fought battles. Proof that you had made it. Proof that you had won the game.

You had the sword that could cut through anything—except the rage it brought with every swing. You had the ring that let you see in the dark—but your eyes never stopped searching. You had the amulet that made you wise—but you overthought everything.

But it was worth it.

Treasure meant security. Strength. Advantage. It meant that when you finally left this dungeon, you’d leave rich.

So you kept going.

You trudged through tunnels. You cut down monsters. You pushed forward, one aching step at a time.

Until the days blurred. Until the walls all looked the same. Until you forgot what you were searching for in the first place.

But you still held on.

Because how could you let go? After all, this was treasure.

This was what mattered, right?

Then you reached the deepest chamber. The heart of the dungeon.

The real treasure room.

And you realized—Your hands were too full to take it.

You’re Just Carrying the Wrong Things

"A treasure is worthless if it’s the weight that drowns you."— Some old adventurer that probably watched his companions die in the river.

Not all dungeons have stone walls.

Some exist in your mind, your habits, your life choices.

And the most dangerous treasures? Not the magic sword that never dulls or the crossbow that never misses a shot.

They’re the things you carry because you think you need them.

• The job that gives you status—but drains your soul.
• The relationship that once felt warm—but now only burns.
• The belief that you must be who you were yesterday—even when you’ve outgrown it.

You think you’re rich in experience, but you’re weighed down by ghosts.

You let them haunt you because they feel familiar. Safe. Even if they’re draining your life essence, at least they’re yours.

You hold onto these things not because they serve you—but because you’re afraid to be without them.

• What if I need this later?
• What if I regret letting go?
• What if this is as good as it gets?

But here’s the truth:

If something is draining you more than it’s helping you—it’s cursed.

And as long as you cling to cursed treasures, you’ll never have hands free for the real ones.

Let Go, and See the Real Treasure

"All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost."— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

The real challenge was never about finding treasure.

It was about learning which treasures had real value.

You can spend your whole life hoarding things you think are valuable—but if they keep you from what actually matters, were they ever treasure at all?

When you let go, you break the curse. You see clearly.

• You see the people who never left your side.
• You see the opportunities you were too exhausted to chase.
• You see the path that was open the whole time— once too hard to walk because of the weight you refused to drop.

And then comes the hardest part:

You have to leave the false treasures behind.

The sword of vengeance that feeds your rage? Drop it. The ring of paranoia that keeps you searching for threats? Drop it. The amulet of self-doubt that drains your emotional energy every day? Drop it.

Because as long as you cling to what curses you, you close your hands to what’s waiting for you.

Break the Curse

"This ridiculous weakness is perhaps one of our more stupid melancholy propensities, for is there anything more stupid than to be eager to go on carrying a burden which one would gladly throw away, to loathe one's very being and yet to hold it fast, to fondle the snake that devours us until it has eaten our hearts away?" — Voltaire

This is your inventory check.

Look at what you’re holding.

• What are you carrying because you stopped noticing its weight?
• What is holding your focus that's draining you instead of helping you?
• What has weighed you down for so long that your sprint became a limp?

Not all treasure is worth keeping.

Some of it was never treasure at all.

And this isn’t just about dropping baggage—it’s about reclaiming your power. Getting your mind right—taking that weight off your chest so you can finally breathe again.

Because when you let go, you don’t just escape the dungeon—you finally step into the light. You see what was always there, hidden behind what you refused to drop.

The real treasure is already here.

Freedom. Clarity. The life you were meant to live.

The only question left:

Are your hands free enough to take it?

-Rex