Letting go is a skill.
It seems easier for some more than others, but that’s not entirely true, is it?
I bet if you were to zoom into those people’s lives, you’d see them also struggle with letting go too — just in other areas of life.
Some people drop relationships easily, but perhaps that same person can’t let go of their ego or past. Others drop vices from one day to another, but maybe they struggle to let go of environments that work against them.
The deceiving thing about letting go is it looks easy. But the truth is it requires discipline just like any other skill. The discipline required is relative to whatever you struggle with.
Letting go is like dancing, we learn how to do it by practicing and paying attention to timing. The better we get, the better songs we get to dance to.
For the record, holding on is also a skill. You’ll need the same kind of discipline, discomfort, and willingness.
So, how do we know when it’s time to let go versus when we should hold on?
I believe intuition makes all the difference here — that’s developed with time and practice.
Here’s another important life principle: Everything in this life is temporary. Nothing stays the same. Change is constant even when it is unnoticeable.
We’ve all had that moment in the mirror where you’re either impressed or discouraged by inches you seemed to have gained overnight. That “When and where did these inches come from??” reaction proves my point.
Aging is a magic trick — we’re too distracted to notice the sleight of hand.
Since everything is temporary, this means you’ll eventually have to let go of everything you’re holding onto right now. That can cause sadness, but the reality is mostly everything in life is lent to us.
Your body will change. Your kids will grow up. Loved ones will pass away. Your life won’t be the same in a year, 5 years, and much less 10 years from now.
We’ll need to let go when seasons change.
But isn’t that what makes everything so beautiful in the end? Isn’t that why it’s worth holding onto certain things?
Things like God, family, and values. Deep connections, memories, and experiences. These are the sweet things in life.
Your tragedies, wounds, and consequences are also worth letting go of when the timing is right. That can also be beautiful — afterwards of course, lol.
What are you holding onto that you should let go? What part of that process are you resisting the most?