I don’t know whether it’s because it is fall, but somehow letting go keeps on coming up as a theme around me. It’s a hard thing to do for many, because at the heart of it is fear. Whether it’s letting go of a career, a relationship, or resentment, we are afraid what will happen when we do let go. But once we can accept that we are afraid and that it is ok, we can think about letting go differently. It doesn’t mean that we are giving up, don’t care anymore or are weak. It means that we are ready to accept reality, learn and grow and are strong enough to make a change.
I found this poem that captures this sentiment wonderfully. It is called “To Let Go.”
To Let Go
Author unknown
To “let go” does not mean to stop caring,
it means I can’t do it for someone else.
To “let go” is not to cut myself off,
it is the realization I can’t control another.
To “let go” is not to enable,
but to allow learning from natural consequences.
To “let go” is to admit powerlessness,
which means that the outcome is not in my hands.
To “let go” is not to try to change or blame another,
it is to make the most of myself.
To “let go” is not to care for,
but to care about.
To “let go” is not to fix,
but to be supportive.
To “let go” is not to judge,
but to allow another to be a human being.
To “let go” is not to be in the middle, arranging the outcomes,
but to allow others to affect their own destinies,
To “let go” is not to be protective,
but to permit another to face reality.
To “let go” is not to deny,
but to accept.
To “let go” is not to nag, scold, or argue,
but to search out my own shortcomings and to correct them.
To “let go” is not to adjust everything to my desires,
but to take every day as it comes, and to cherish myself in it.
To “let go” is not to criticize and regulate anybody,
but to try to become what I dream I can be.
To “let go” is not to regret the past,
but to grow and live for the future.
To “let go” is to fear less and love more.
Manuela teaches women life strategies to find meaning, balance, and personal success! You can visit Manuela’s Website for Personal Success Coaching