And I don't know about you but sometimes the more I keep hearing about it, the more I feel a sort of guilt when I don't or can't let go- for whatever reason.
I was sitting in church last Sunday and it was the last Sunday of the year, so the pastor had decided to focus on the topic of letting go. I thought it was rather appropriate too since we all want to move into the new year without holding on to past baggage. All those things that have weighed us down the whole year.
Relationships that didn't quite rise to our expectations and that may have soured our spirits.
People that you feel might have failed you.
A business idea that didn't quite pan out the way you saw it in your mind.
An illness that doesn't seem to be going away no matter how much you try to be positive. Regardless of the number of prayers you make.
Let's call all these experiences Life.
So I was mulling over the message while the pastor was speaking, and one of the thoughts that flew into my mind was that letting go is just downright scary.
And the second thought or rather a question that popped up was what should I let go of?
We can't just let go of every single experience that we went through; it would be like cutting off a part of who we are. A slice of our psyche. You might not agree with this but we needed every single experience we went through this year to bring us to this moment.
So I believe that there are some things that we not only shouldn't let go of, but that we should hold on tightly to. At least three that I can think of.
Number one: your faith.
It's not just about what religious beliefs you subscribe to. It goes deeper into a fundamental belief in yourself.
What do you believe about yourself, that you have put into practice the last year and seen it blossom? What was the strength of that belief in yourself? What went wrong and could the things that went wrong be traced back to a faulty belief in yourself, or can you confidently sit back and congratulate yourself that you did your absolute best no matter the result?
Only you can answer these questions best, and the good news is your faith and belief in yourself can be increased. By doing more or by trying out new things you discover new capabilities that you might have never believed to have existed in you. Trust yourself.
Number two: Don't let go of the people who've stood with you.
We're not islands. We need people around us. The good kind of people; the ones that support us through the dips, the ones that hang on. Even if you don't speak with them on a regular basis you know in your heart and mind that you can trust them to be truthful, and yet loving. Keep them close.
Number three: Your achievements and your disappointments.
It's easy to remember what you did good- all those proud moments when you set your own personal best. And you should remember these always and let them seven as a humble reminder that as human as you are, you can make miracles happen by getting into action and by focussing on your task.
Disappointments are what we'd rather forget. They don't leave a sweet taste in our tongues, unlike our accomplishments. But we need them to teach us valuable lessons on who we are. Go through your list of disappointments and -keeping the pain on the side- do a little reflection.
Get glimpses into yourself. Figure out what went wrong and why. And then make it a point not to repeat them. Carry the lessons over, not the pain.
We don't have to start on a completely blank slate every year, especially not when we come to realize that there are some things that we don't need to let go of. Things that can actually give us a boost this 2016. Make this a year of your personal bests.
