How to let go

Letting go of things is difficult for many people. Most of us know that we cannot enter into our new lives until we have let go of our old ones. Everyone always tells us the same story; you have to let go of the pain from a previous event in order to make life changes. Everything usually starts and ends with letting go in one way or another. We understand this, and consider it good advice, but we don’t understand how to do it. And we struggle to do it for the long term. How are you supposed to fully release negative thoughts and feelings and let in positive ones? Is it even possible?

It is! But in order to begin, and to fully let go you, have shift the way you look at yourself.

 Virtually everyone looks and themselves and recognizes themselves as a physical entity: a mind and a body. Those that are spiritual will include a spirit or soul to themselves, but still it is the physical they focus on. When they have to deal with an issue, they do it with body and their mind. Some place a lot of emphasis on their mind-- thinking before they act, and some rule with their body-- doing before thinking. Thus, when they have to let go they either think their way out of it, or act their way out of it. And because they are physically doing something they feel proud and successful. But all things physical have limits.

The body can only do so much. But if you rule with your spirit or soul the way you look at the world changes and it suddenly becomes easier to let go. To do this you must think of yourself as a soul with a body, not just a body.  Your soul comes from, and is connected to, a high source of energy, it never tires, and this energy is love so it cannot produce negativity. So think of your soul as you read on with the steps.

In order to fully let go:

1. You have to replace it with something constructive. When you get rid of anything, you immediately need something else to replace it. You can’t break a habit, addiction or even pattern of thinking without replacing it with a new habit, addiction or pattern of thinking.

Because you are purely a soul, you want to replace those bad habits and thoughts with something constantly positive. So read positive and inspiring works and pray. Learn to pray not just to for the ability to let go, but also thank God for allowing you to recognize that you need to let go. When you pray, you connect further with that source of love, this helps to replace all that is negative with something very positive. Praying is free,  can be done anywhere, and it is uncomplicated. If you are nervous and are not sure what to say simply say ‘I do exist and I need you in my life, so please continue to bless me’

2. Be patient. Everyone wants their problems to go away quickly, but waiting, and learning to wait is something that is part of letting go.

3. Help someone else. Don’t sit around twiddling your thumbs while you wait, help someone. When we help others we are not only reducing their problems we reduce our own. As a soul, it is in you to help. Take some time to listen to someone, do something for someone or just remind someone that they are beautiful and special. Do this daily.

4. Focus on the present and the person you want to be. One of the biggest reasons why people fail to let go isn’t because they don’t try, but they try as the person they were in the past. They use their past thoughts and emotions to guide them. To avoid this, focus on yourself in the here and now and how you want to be today. If you were teased and you want to let go of that past then stop making decisions as that teased person.  You, as a soul, can only live in today and souls consider themselves already successful in everything they do, so your soul will already feel as if it is healed and will take you through your day as a healed person not a teased one.

5. Forget pride. Everyone who battles with letting go is battling with a form of pride. Pride is defined in many ways, and the pride that keeps you from letting go is the pride that does not want you to imagine that there is something bigger and greater than itself. It is also the pride that keeps you from admitting that you are making mistakes. By mistakes I mean spiritual ones, not necessarily physical ones. If you can’t let go of a past breakup there is a prideful reason for it. Your pride does not want you admit that chose to bring someone negative into your life or it may not want to accept that it is over. Your pride also refuses to let you grasp on the loving energy of God. It could be anger or disbelief, but pride is putting something in the way of you and him and keeping you in the negative. Pride is the most difficult thing to release. It is pride that keeps the negative thoughts and feelings. Pride likes to see you fail, because then you will stop thinking of your soul and return to a state of physical, seeking only physical things to help you.   

To fully let go, stop thinking of yourself as just a body or mind, but as a soul and focus on your soul. Replace past thoughts and habits with new loving ones. Be patient with yourself and others, and while waiting, help someone. Keep focused on the present and don’t let pride keep you from making changes and progress.