We talked Monday about letting go and why we feel a need to hold on to things/people that don’t serve us.  I mentioned that I thought it’s partly a result of familiarity, obligation, and/or comfort.   We start identifying ourselves with the things/people to which we associate.  Here are some common hindrances to life that we need to let go:

1.  THE PAST.  This is probably the heaviest bag we carry around our lives.  The truth is that the past is gone.  It’s over.  Any desire to change the past is futile.  Bringing the past into the present robs you of your future.  Dr. Lawrence Wilson of the Center for Development states, “Your future will find you if you let go of your past”.      

2.  EXCUSES.  We need to take 100% responsibility for our own lives.  Excuses are just another way we deny ourselves the truth.  It’s easy  to blame everything and everyone on our circumstances.  Jack Canfield talks about a great formula that addresses this: Event + Response = Outcome.  Sometimes, you create the events that lead to an outcome, sometimes you don’t.  If you don’t like your outcome, change your response.  This is always in your control.  Let go of self-defeating responses.

3.  UNHEALTHY HABITS.  They may get you through life temporarily, but often they will lead to chaos.  Make a commitment to let go of the habits that get in the way of your life.  We all need different things.  Perhaps you trade in fast food for healthier options, maybe you enlist a buddy to work-out with, or talk with your doctor about smoking or alcohol cessation.  In order to live the life you want, you have to let go of habits that hinder you from moving forward.

4.  BELIEFS AND ATTITUDES.  We all know that our beliefs and attitudes dictate what we manifest in our lives.  When we fill our minds with thoughts like fear, resentment, judgment, or negativity, that is exactly what we bring to our actions.  It actually becomes an anchor that holds us back.  I find that it’s great to have a list of positive affirmations. These are positive action words or phrases you can repeat to yourself, like a mantra, or you can post them up as a visual reminder.  I do this a lot.  When you see and hear positive words often enough, they become interwoven in your brain. 

5.  PEOPLE.  To reiterate what we discussed on Monday, we have to be mindful of the people we allow into our worlds.  When we can be true to ourselves and honest about what healthy relationships feel like to us, we will become clear of those we need to let go.

The common thread of letting go is freedom and peace.  Although, it may be temporarily painful, it’s the only way for us to keep moving, growing, learning, and easing into life’s current.  There are opportunities waiting for you on the other side.