Letting Go —A Journey
‘Embracing release.’
I don’t think I have ever met anyone who loves to hold on to things like I do. I mean, I safe keep anything that I seem to like, and doing away with them at a later time is usually difficult. I just keep them for no reasonable reason, thinking to myself, “this might be useful some day”, and trust me, many times, they just remain of no use at all.
As humans, we can hold on to many things. It could be emotions, it could be an item, it could be a grudge, or even a situation. People hold on to things for various reasons, mostly personal.
What does it mean to hold on? To hold on means to stay attached to past experiences and memories that involves someone, something or a situation.
Is it healthy to hold on to things?
Absolutely! There are many beautiful memories we hold on to, those that bring smiles to our faces. Sometimes, we hold on to our feelings for a person, other times, we hold on to things that make us hopeful. However, holding on sometimes hinders growth.
And don’t forget, too much of some things are bad. Just like you wouldn’t want to eat white bread everyday, you shouldn’t hold on to certain things for too long.
“Letting go is not even an easy thing to do! It is easier said than done! You can’t tell people how to lead their lives! Blah blah blah…”
Well, all these are true, but a truer thing is that eventually, you’d have to let go of certain things and even habits. The sooner we become more conscious of this, the better.
What does it mean to let go? To let go means to release or break free from attachments, accepting the reality of a situation. Letting go does not mean forgetting, it is only a process of acceptance.
Let’s talk about someone who’s lost a loved one. That season of their life is one that is filled with pain, moving on from this pain would be hard. Moving past this hurt requires them to make a conscious decision of not continuing to dwell in the pain. They most of the time choose to hold on only to beautiful memories shared with that person. This way, they’re able to make peace with their loss.
Healing comes from acceptance. Accepting the situation and the change it brings, embracing what comes with the change.
Letting go is a different journey for different persons, just as there are several routes to some destinations. It takes great courage to accept and embrace change, and believe me, anyone who says it’s no big deal doesn’t understand this even a little.
Is letting go an easy task? No, not exactly.
Is it an impossible task? No, it’s not.
Letting go is very possible. One step at a time, and you’re there.
Letting go makes growth possible, letting go gives room to new beginnings, and most importantly, letting go brings you peace.
If you’re still holding on to a hurtful memory, this is your cue to make a decision to accept change today, and embrace release.
You too can experience the power of letting go.
