Letting Go of Old Habits & Relationships
Letting go … Sounds easy, doesn’t it? Just release your grasp on something or someone, drop away, and move on. Well, we all know it’s not quite as easy as that. Most of us dream of letting go… of poor eating habits, exercise routines (or lack of), toxic relationships, a job with no future, past hurts. The list goes on.
But…
And it’s in the but that we get caught. Maybe we move a few steps forward. Sometimes we move many steps forward.
But… Most times we just get stuck. We make excuses of why we can’t let go of (fill in the blank). The comfort of knowing where we are versus what might happen when we let go is what keeps us tied to routines, people, and places that just may not be good for us anymore. But… sometimes, you’ve just got to do it. Let go.
“Some people believe holding on and hanging in there are signs of great strength. However, there are times when it takes much more strength to know when to let go and then do it.” —Ann Landers
Fear of Change
Fear is the primary reason people don’t let go and change. Fear of people’s reactions. Fear of the unknown. Fear of change—in you, the circumstance, or a relationship. All of life, however, is always changing. It is what we are made to do.
Look at nature. The leaves fall, the grass dies, the animals hibernate. Yet, come Spring, they all revive. Some better and more beautiful than before. The ocean waves go in and out, in and out, taking sand and shells away, and then returning with new sand and shells. Nature abhors a vacuum.
Whatever disappears is replenished. Tiny buds appear on dormant branches. New growth releases from the ground after a fire. The old, broken, and damaged is always replaced with something. Most times something better than we ever could have imagined. Can you picture a world where these things did not happen? How stagnant, ugly, and cold it would be? Kind of hard to say, but…
So, what do you need to let go of to become the vibrant, happy, joy-filled you? The one that has been there all along?
New Possibilities
Instead of focusing on the fear of what might happen, define and picture how good and different life will be when you do let go. Let go of the fear. Let go of the situation. Name your purpose for the change. With no buts allowed…
Some examples would be:
Exercise and diet
Live a longer, healthier life.
Be able to run after children or grandchildren.
Be strong enough to help others who are not as able as we are.
Enjoy the flavors of good fruits and vegetables.
Learn a new way of cooking.
Toxic relationships
Knowing you deserve to be treated with dignity and love.
Understanding that the person brings more pain than joy to your life.
Knowing the relationship had its reason or season and it is time to move on.
Job change
Wanting to feel proud of the work you do.
Bringing purpose to your work.
Making more money in order to be more generous to those you love—and those you want to help.
Letting go of old habits and damaged relationships is a way to free yourself to create the life you were born to enjoy. Look toward the future with excited anticipation. Get unstuck in your ways by letting go and releasing. No buts…
You deserve it. You are amazing!
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