Letting Go and Letting God

I have always believed in the idea of letting go. Letting go of things, of the past, some friends, and a whole lot more baggage that may be holding us back. This is a hidden key to having much more in our lives, to health and happiness.

Yet, I for one have always found the practice of letting go a most difficult one. I’m a hoarder. I hold on to things, unnecessary things. Just this morning, I was clearing out a filing cabinet and I even had receipts and statements from as far back as 1991 that I still hesitated to add to the rubbish pile. For God’s sake, that was twenty years ago.

I hold on to friends. Some long-standing friends I am so happy to still have in my life but clearly there are some that I must let go. But do I? I convince myself that I have moved on from such people but eventually I have the urge to give them one last call. I tell myself it is because I love people and I hate to give up relationships. Is it any wonder that I over stayed my marriage?

Ah, but I digress. I was talking about letting go in general. This week in particular, I am dealing with letting go of a huge part of my life to date. The idea is to feel lighter; to breathe and thereby lighten my load. This part of my life is something I really, really worked hard for, something I dreamed of for years, which then took more years to put together; something that has really, really blessed my life, energized me and given me a reason to live. However, ironically this same thing has become a thorn in my flesh in the past few years and has prevented me moving on with my life. Like a poisoned chalice!

Letting go is not always easy. The future is unknown. The past, however miserable is a known event and at the very least we know how to navigate it. It is our comfort zone. The future versus the past - “Better the devil you know than the angel you don’t.”

Life is about growth. Letting go of some things are scary and takes boldness and courage. However, looking back, the biggest things I have let go off in the past have led to exponential growth for me. Unparalleled growth! One of this was when I gave up my J.O.B in 2004 to start in business. That was a bold step against all odds. I didn’t know what the future held and I was leaving a ‘secured’ position with a regular income for the unknown. It took me two years prior to finally make that unilateral decision to take that plunge. But I made it; and I have never looked back.

So now it is time to make another bold move, to have faith that all is well, and will be well! I don’t want a mediocre life. I want to live life to its’ utmost and be able to say YES with a zest at the finishing line.

This reminds me of the famous saying often attributed to Goethe:

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back; Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one's favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.

Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now."

So, here I come again. I let go, and let God!

Comments

[Pauline Brobbey]

Just popped by for a long-overdue visit. Loved reading Letting Go and Letting God!

A great piece which rings so true!

[Tola Johnson]

Fantastic piece. True talk.

[MargaretN]

Thanks for popping by yet again, Pauline & Tola. Experience is fast becoming the best teacher as they say.