120+ Captions for Moving On & New Beginnings

Trying to come up with the perfect caption to show your ex you’re moving on? Have no fear! We’ve got you covered. This article gives you the ultimate list of Instagram captions for moving on with your life after a breakup with a significant other or friend. We’ll also give you tips on how to write your own caption from scratch and pick just the right photo to show you’re moving on and not looking back. Plus, we spoke to social media experts Candace Gasper and Kasey Dunn to get their advice on writing better Instagram captions.

The Best Insta Captions to Use After a Breakup

“Growing up, moving on, and finding my own way.”
“Some of the best journeys involve flying solo.”
“I hope your new life is as amazing as mine.”
“Feeling that main character energy.”
“Self-love is my new relationship goal.”

Section 1 of 14:

Positive Moving on Captions for Girls

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Write an upbeat line that says you’re a woman who’s ready for the future. Show you’re moving in a positive new direction with a caption that really connects to your confident personality and authentic self. Choose one of these captions to let people know you’re not going to let a breakup get you down:
- “Growing up, moving on, and finding my own way.”
- “With a heart filled with excitement and big plans for the future.
- “Breaking up was hard, but you can’t beat that feeling of inner peace!
- “Rise, shine, and smile! A whole new chapter is waiting for you.”
- “When an adventure picks you, pack your bags and slay!
- “Radiate positive vibes and believe in yourself.”
- “Life has never felt this good. I’m living for me now!”
- “Young, wild, free, and totally ready to be me!
- “Tapping into all those ‘could have beens’ to discover who I was meant to be.”
- “I get to write my own stories now, and I’m sure they’ll be exciting!
- “Queen of her fairytale.”
- “Her scars tell stories of strength.”

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Motivational Moving on Captions for Guys

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Add a caption that shows you’re a guy who’s ready for the next big thing. Celebrate your newfound freedom and hope for the future with a caption that really expresses your mission in life. Try one of these captions to tell the world where you’re going:
- “The birds are chirping, the plants are growing, and I’m free.”
- “No pain, no gain, I guess. I’m ready.”
- “Some of the best journeys involve flying solo.”
- “Here’s to fresh starts!”
- “It’s the perfect day to go your own way!”
- “It’s a “choose your own adventure” kind of day.”
- “Goodbye, past! Hello, present!”
- “Life is too short not to do what makes you happy, even if it’s hard at first.”
- “Ready or not, here I come!”
- “Ready for a whole new adventure.”
- “Battles won, wisdom gained.”
- “Champion mindset, forward march.”

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Reflective Moving on Captions for Friendships

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Use words that honor the past and look to the future after losing a friend. Breaking up a friendship can often hurt even more than a romantic breakup.^{[1]
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Research source} Use one of these reflective captions to show how you feel and that you’re ready to move on:
- “Some of the hardest goodbyes come just before the biggest adventures.”
- “Let go of what shouldn’t be to discover you were meant to be free.”
- “When the destination is happiness, it’s not all about the journey.”
- “I hope your new life is as amazing as mine.”
- “Fueled by my own strength and passion, and not scared to chase my goals.”
- “Just your daily reminder to enjoy the ride and to get off at any stop you please.”
- “Every sunset holds within it a promise of a new dawn.”
- “I miss what was, but realized it had disappeared long ago.”
- “Here’s to endings that blossom into beautiful new beginnings.”
- “New beginnings start with letting go.”

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Cute Selfie Captions for Moving on

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Say you’re moving on with a cute line that matches your selfie’s vibe. Make your post stand out with a cute selfie caption that matches the aesthetic of your photo. These cute-as-can-be sentiments are the perfect way to add a little extra charm to your post:
- “Keepin’ my eyes on the horizon.”
- “Very in tune with my worth.”
- “Feeling that main character energy.”
- “I’m not lost, just on my way.”
- “Guess who’s back?”
- “Radiate positive vibes and keep on swimming.”
- “Puppy kisses heal heartaches..”
- “Cupcakes cure more than heartaches.”
- “Cat videos: universal mood-lifters.”
- “New playlist: songs of independence.”

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Funny Moving on Captions

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Signal your new direction with a line that shows off your sense of humor. Let people know you don’t take yourself too seriously by adding a dash of humor to your caption. Compose a funny caption with a joke or funny one-liner that’s sure to give your followers a chuckle, like one of these:
- “Plot twist: I’m the main character after all.”
- “The best part about this kind of moving on? You don’t even have to pay people to pack your stuff into boxes.”
- “Self-love is my new relationship goal.”
- “Oh, this scent? It’s called “Fresh Start.” I highly recommend it!”
- “Moving on is the best workout I’ve had in a long time!”
- “Because moving backward is just gnivom, and that’s just wrong.”.
- “Girls' night every night.”
- “New me, who dis?”
- “Change of plans.”
- “When life gives you challenges, leave them behind and just move on.”

Section 6 of 14:

Inspirational & Healing Captions for Moving on

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Raise your vibe with an upbeat message about the future. Encourage others (and yourself!) with a positive caption with good vibes that brightens your day. Whether you want to share words of wisdom or just spread a little love, an inspiring message is the way to go. Try one of these to make a positive impact on yourself and others:
- “It’s a beautiful day, and the possibilities are endless.”
- “Find the hope within you and start smiling.”
- “Planting seeds of hope and patiently waiting for them to grow into big, strong trees.”
- “Moving on is the first step toward healing.”
- “This chapter of my life is all about finding the beauty in the world.”
- “In the ashes of my heartbreak, I rise.”
- “Taking a big leap of faith!”
- “Stronger and better after every heartbreak.”
- “Growing, learning, living, loving. Life is beautiful.”
- “Letting the sun dry my tears and light up my biggest dreams.”
- “Healing isn’t linear; it’s liberating.”

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Deep, Emotional Captions for Moving on

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Look to the future with a profound caption that digs into your feelings. Try to really dig deep and find a lesson you can take from your breakup. Not only does this help you re-evaluate your life, but it can also help you make better choices as you move forward.^{[2]
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Research source} Use one of these deep captions or let them inspire you to come up with your own:
- “When life turns you into someone you don’t like, it’s time to change things up.”
- “I didn’t walk away. I followed my heart to a new road.”
- “I’m not running away from my problems. I just ran out of excuses for living a life that wasn’t mine.”
- “When we lose our way, we find ourselves.”
- “Perhaps failing over and over just means you’re not choosing the right challenges.”
- “Sometimes, the real adventure starts where your comfort zone ends.”
- “Every decision I make is the right decision for me.”
- “Nothing worth living for is completely risk-free. This time, I’m betting on me.”
- “Letting go gently, loving fiercely.”
- “Trust in yourself because you’re the world expert on your own needs.”

Section 8 of 14:

Bittersweet Captions for Moving on

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Share a bittersweet message that says you’re headed in the right direction. It’s perfectly normal to have conflicting emotions about your breakup. Allow yourself to feel them without judgment.^{[3]
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Go to source} And if you want to share those feelings, try one of these bittersweet captions to help you along:
- “Abandoning the what if and embracing the will be.”
- “Always look forward, not back.”
- “Every end is a new beginning, but that doesn’t mean it can’t hurt.”
- “The end of us doesn’t mean the end of me.”
- “Because some luggage needs to be dumped. Travel light, smile, and embrace the journey.”
- “Letting all the negative energy float away.”
- “There’s still a spark of pain and a hunger for the past, but my bags are packed and I’m ready to fly.”
- “It’s not about the goodbye. It’s about the hello.”
- “Because every ending is also a brand new beginning.”
- “With one last look at the life I’d be leaving behind, I decided it was time.”

Section 9 of 14:

Savage & Sassy Captions for Moving on

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Drop a savage caption that shows you’re moving forward in your power. Remind your followers—and yourself—that you’re the complete package. Relationships end, but a breakup can’t change your worth.^{[4]
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Research source} Use one of these savage captions to help you step back into the limelight and live your best life:
- “Who's next?”
- “I broke up, and all I got was this awesome single life.”
- “Not a damsel in distress…a queen in progress.”
- “Not your baby anymore.”
- “Chasing my dreams now that you’re not in the way.”
- “As good as you'll get.”
- “Starting fresh has never looked this good.”
- “You were my cup of tea, but I drink coffee now.”
- “Turns out I just needed you to get out of my way.”
- “Level up and leave toxicity behind.”

Section 10 of 14:

Beautiful Quotes for Moving on Captions

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Share an iconic quote that says you’re ready for the next chapter. Sometimes, the best way to express how you feel is with a quote. Whether you use a celebrated quote from a well-known philosopher or your favorite song lyric, choose something that really speaks to you. Here are a few options to get you started:
- “You can’t look back. You just have to put the past behind you and find something better in your future.” – Jodi Picoult
- “The great courageous act that we must all do is to have the courage to step out of our history and past so that we can live our dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey
- “Make it a rule of life never to regret and never to look back. Regret is an appalling waste of energy; you can't build on it; it's only good for wallowing in.” – Katherine Mansfield
- “Hearts live by being wounded.” – Oscar Wilde
- “The heart will break, but broken live on.” – Lord Byron
- “Since you've been gone, I can breathe for the first time.” – “Since U Been Gone” - Kelly Clarkson
- “Don’t stop thinking about tomorrow.” – “Don’t Stop” - Fleetwood Mac
- “Thank you, next.” – “thank u, next” - Ariana Grande
- “Thought I couldn't breathe without ya, I'm inhaling.” – “Survivor” - Destiny’s Child
- “'Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar.” – “Roar” - Katy Perry

Section 11 of 14:

Short & One-Word Captions for Moving on

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Say your breakup made you stronger with a message that gets to the point. They say a picture is worth a thousand words. That means you don’t have to use a lot of words to show how you’re ready to take on whatever the future brings. Whether you’re posting a selfie or a favorite work of art, try using a simple caption to elevate your post.
- “Resilient.”
- “Thriving.”
- “Liberated.”
- “Radiant.”
- “Empowered.”
- “Renewed.”
- “Rising like a phoenix
- “I choose hope. I choose me.”
- “Let go and move on.”
- “Keep calm and choose happiness.”
- “A new key for a new chapter.”

Section 12 of 14:

Long Captions for Moving on

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Go long to say everything that needs to be said about your new attitude. Expressing everything you’re thinking and feeling after a breakup can sometimes be hard to do. If you need more words to let people know where you are in your journey, use one of the following long captions for inspiration:
- “Each of my tears nurtures seeds of newfound hope that will bloom and grow into a garden of endless possibilities.”
- “Embracing all my new beginnings with strength and courage. Leaving the shadows of the past in my rearview mirror.”
- “Each tear I shed becomes a testament to my strength and resilience, which helps me pave fresh paths to renewal.”
- “Reflections on my heartbreaks are what guide me through the maze of past hurts to a better, brighter future.
- “From each heartbreak blooms a garden of resilience, and it’s watered by the tears of growth.”

Section 13 of 14:

Expert Advice for Writing Meaningful Insta Captions

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1
Craft an authentic caption that captures your emotional state. Be as honest as possible about sharing your authentic emotions, but keep things light. Inject a little humor into your posts. Focus on the positives of moving on, like having more freedom to take care of yourself. Gasper recommends jotting down 5 or 6 different captions and choosing the one you like best. If you aren’t sure which one to go with, try running them by a friend or family member to get their take. Here are a few writing prompts to get you started:
- Fresh starts feel like…
- I’m not looking back anymore. It’s time to look forward to…
- I’m choosing to move forward and not dwell on the past because…
- Letting go of the past also means…
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Grab their attention by starting with the most powerful message. Dunn says you only have 8 seconds to captivate your audience, so make sure your first sentence is the most powerful. If it’s not catchy, they might lose interest and keep scrolling. Gasper suggests connecting your post to what’s trending in pop culture. For example, if Taylor Swift is in the headlines, let one of her lyrics inspire your post.
- Dunn also recommends using 3 related hashtags to help get more likes. Try #movingon, #lettinggo, #newbeginnings, #freshstart, #release, #healing, and #growth.
- Instagram hides any part of a caption that’s longer than a few lines, so try to keep your captions on the shorter side.
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Use emojis to keep your messages lighthearted and engaging. Emojis make your posts seem more approachable and personable.^{[5]
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Research source} Get even more expressive by combining emojis to make your posts even more engaging.
- Try emojis like ➡️,🌱,🔛,🦋,🌈, and 🔓 to symbolize growth, renewal, and freedom.
- Show you’re strong and confident with 💪, 👊, 💯,🏋️, and 💃.
- Some emojis that communicate hope and joy include 🤞,🍀,🔮,🎱,🐞, and 🙏.

Section 14 of 14:

Choosing a Photo for Moving on

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Post hopeful images that suggest a brighter future. Moving on is easier to do when you have hope for the future. Try to embrace new things that help you enjoy life, whether you’re ready for a new relationship or just want to focus on self-care for a while.^{[6]
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Research source} Fill your IG account with images that make you feel hopeful and uplifted. There really aren’t any rules!
- Choose images that symbolize growth and rebirth, like a sunrise, phoenix, butterfly, or an arty rendering of an ouroboros or snake biting its own tail.
- Share photos of your new hobbies. For example, if you’re taking painting lessons, take a picture of what you’re working on.
- Take a selfie trying something new, like skydiving, rock climbing, or surfing.