The Value Of Letting Go: Letting Go To Move On
Having the courage to let go of everything that hurts us is not an easy task. In fact, it is much easier for us to accumulate – material objects, daily habits or experiences – than to get rid of everything we do not need.
However, if we really want to find ourselves, it is advisable to learn to let go of everything that no longer adds to our lives. Although it is painful, it will be the healthiest way to move on.
Hoard versus drop
In our current society, adding is much more reinforced than subtracting: more followers on social networks, more clothes in the closet, more restaurants we’ve been to, more countries visited, more social encounters, among many others.
It is as if everything is focused on having more and, what is worse, we are aware of what we still do not have without being aware of everything that is left over.
We rarely realize that all that noise takes us away from our true essence. And it is that most of the time we do not need all that to feel at peace.
Having the courage to let go sets us free
When we say goodbye to everything that we do not need or that hurts us, we are betting on having a better quality of life. In turn, it is something that allows us to be more authentic and consistent with ourselves.
However, if we try to leave everything behind at once, it is likely that we will not achieve anything. Therefore, it is best to analyze and assess what aspect we should prioritize and focus on. How? We can select it from some of the following ideas.
Fears
Leaving our deepest fears behind is certainly an act of bravery. Perhaps we cannot make them disappear completely, but we can make the decision not to let them rule our existence.
People who harm us
It is difficult to break the bond with someone who has a weight in our life. However, if we analyze and see that that person hurts us much more than he benefits us, it will be interesting to ask ourselves if the relationship can take distance to improve our emotional balance.
Need for approval
As we mature, we need less and less for others to agree with our values and decisions. Being able to rid ourselves of that influence will not only liberate us deeply, but it will allow us to enjoy our essence.
Excuses that sap the courage to let go
People cling to excuses in order not to quit a bad habit, avoid a situation that harms us, or throw away an object that we no longer need. There is nothing like deactivating excuses to focus on what we do want, and leave behind everything that is left over.
Perfection
Dispense with the idea that we must have a perfect body, be the perfect parents / children / partners / friends / workers —or any other role that society assigns us— will liberate us in a significant way. No life is perfect, let’s not pretend that ours is.
Last
Living in the past chains us and does not allow us to evolve. Although we cannot deny that it is a great source of learning, if we really want to advance, it is convenient to learn to leave it behind.
The Sunk Cost Fallacy
Many times we do not dare to give up something that hurts us because we feel that we have invested a lot in it. For example, a business we started years ago that has stopped working.
We strive to maintain it for all the enormous amount of hours of effort that we have put into it. We know that it does not bring us benefits, but we remain attached to it. For what is this?
In most cases, we fall into a cognitive bias: the sunk cost fallacy. This bias just clings to something that no longer makes sense, but has cost us a lot of dedication in the past. Even if it is unrecoverable, we do not want to give up your loss.
Other examples can be not throwing away a piece of furniture that cost a lot of money despite being a hindrance, not leaving a relationship that has not worked for years or continuing to study a career that we do not like just because it has to be finished. Without a doubt, it is something that can make us make wrong decisions and that will make us pay the consequences for years.
Having the courage to let go is one of the best strategies to grow
Leaving behind what does not fit in our lives should not be a sacrifice. On the contrary, we should be grateful for everything he has given us, be it a material object, a relationship or a lived circumstance.
Giving up everything that we no longer want to be part of our lives means focusing on what is truly important in the present moment. It also denotes being more aligned with our values and, above all, it indicates that we prioritize our well-being.
