I had to learn the art of letting go when I’ve found myself at crossroads.
As my partner and I began envisioning life after his retirement, we started to see a future quite different from the life we’re living now. We envisioned ourselves in a different country, leading a lifestyle far removed from the familiar and that scared me.
I don’t really like change. I enjoy my boring life and routine, and so does my husband. But we’ve come to realize that we’re not too fond of the society we live in either. We want a better future than this, and the country we both admire could offer that. But it also means we’d be over 3,000 kilometers away from everyone and everything we know.
And while the idea of experiencing something new and different sounded exciting, one part of me immediately started to feel like I’m running away. I felt guilty, because I really wanted this house where we live in now, so how could I move away and leave all I have behind?
I guess that at some point in life, many of us feel disconnected; from our surroundings, from the society we live in, or even from our own sense of self. This disconnection can bring out a fear of change, thinking we have to love the life we built even if it no longer feels like our own.
So here is what I learned about letting go what no longer serves us and opening up to new possibilities:
“Water is fluid, soft, and yielding. But water will wear away rock, which is rigid and cannot yield. As a rule, whatever is fluid, soft, and yielding will overcome whatever is rigid and hard. This is another paradox: what is soft is strong.”
― Lao Tzu
The fear of change and staying comfortable
Change is intimidating, and it’s easier to cling to familiar than letting go, even when we know deep down that it no longer serves us.
The routines, environments, and people we surround ourselves with feel safe, giving us a sense of stability. But this comfort can also become a barrier, holding us back from growth and new experiences.
We tend to convince ourselves that staying where we are is easier than stepping into the unknown, but in doing so, we risk missing out on opportunities for personal transformation and fulfillment.
The fear of change is natural, but staying in our comfort zone can be dangerous, as it can become so overpowering that it prevents us from experiencing life.
The power of allowing yourself to feel
It is in our nature to try to push away uncomfortable emotions (fear, sadness, uncertainty), foolishly hoping that they’ll disappear on their own. But the truth is, these feelings hold valuable insight.
When we allow ourselves to truly feel whole range of emotions, without judgement, we create space for healing and allow ourselves to grow. By embracing discomfort instead of negating it, we can see what’s holding us back and what we truly want and need.
Acknowledging our emotions is a powerful act, because only by accepting how we feel now, we can start moving towards where we want to be and how we want to feel.
Letting go of expectations
Expensive car, big house, and countless costly items (things we didn’t need or truly want in the first place), have become today’s standard.
Consumerism is stripping away the joy from our lives because, no matter how hard you work, it never feels like enough. To keep us in this cycle of buying, we are bombarded with ads promising us freedom if we just own this one thing, or happiness if we buy that other one. But the hard truth is, the more you buy, the less free and happy you become.
We often carry around ideas of who we should be, what our lives should look like, or how we’re supposed to fit in.
But those things, even if they can be rewarding short-term they will never give us true fulfillment. True fulfilment can only come when we release any expectations we, or somebody else might have of us, and embrace what genuinely resonates with us.
Break the mold, honor who you are at your core, even if it means stepping away from what’s familiar.
By releasing this weight, we can create a more genuine, meaningful life.
The freedom to redefine your life
The beauty of life is that we have the freedom to redefine it at any moment. When we’re letting go of the fear of change and the expectations placed upon us, we are opening ourselves to endless possibilities.
Redefining your path means acknowledging the fact that you are not confined to one path or one version of yourself.
You have the power to shift your direction, to align your life with your true values, and to create a reality that feels meaningful to you.