A common piece of advice that is given in life to us is to “hold on”. Hold on to things such as hope, hold on to dreams, hold on to the good times and love and all the warmth it brings. Those are all very solid things to hold on to. However, they are not the only things that we may find ourselves holding on to. Things like hurt, pain, fear, anxiety, and bad habits just to name a few. We cry day in and day out for God to bless us and for God to deliver us. And when we don’t necessarily see what we think we should see we become discouraged.

I am reminded of a pastor I listened to not so long ago. He was teaching a sermon on “letting go”. It was a very powerful message that taught me that holding on is great, but holding on to the wrong things can get in the way of blessings that await. The notion of letting go is easier said than done however, I feel like if you take a little time to really consider what you are holding onto, you’ll find that letting go may be easier than you know.

In times like these it helps to identify what are you holding onto that maybe you shouldn’t. Does this thing bring you to a place of growth or prosperity. Then finally, establish the benefits of letting it go. Remember our journey through life is about growth, growth is crucial, however growth is sometimes painful. The truth is a hard pill to swallow and it’s past time for a lot of us to take our medicine. 

Identify

This is not an easy thing to do, better yet this is not a comfortable thing to do. It has been my experience that shining a spotlight on yourself can make you feel vulnerable. It brings attention to things you got so good at hiding. The reason why you illuminate these things is because none of us are the sum total of what you see on the surface therefore a shallow glance over won’t yield true results. I’m learning that true maturity is realizing that what once was, wasn’t necessarily what should have been. Instead, it’s what needed to be.

Our characters are defined by the action and choices we make in life and a lot of these actions and choices are fueled by the things which we hold on to, the good and not so good. The sooner you are able to identify the things that maybe you shouldn’t be holding on to the sooner you can work on letting it go so you can grow.

For the majority of my life, I have held onto so much baggage that wasn’t really mine to hold on to. The problem with holding on to something for any considerable length of time is that it starts to become familiar and hard to part with. As people we can develop attachment to negative things just as easily as we can to something positive. We become so accustomed to carrying these things around with us that it starts to feel normal, only it’s not. Symbiotic in nature these negative things grow as we do if left unchecked.

A Place of Growth

Once you have identified the unnecessary and unwanted baggage now you have work on detaching yourself from it so that you may flourish. I know I speak as if this is so cut and dry, however, in a way it is. Things like fear and doubt will stifle your belief that things can ever change let alone get better. Know that as easy as these things latched on to you, it is that easy to free yourself from them. Only it will take some continuous effort from you.

What I mean is that it took time for these negative emotions, bad habits, and lifestyle choices to take root in you. So logically speaking then it will take time to remove them. Think of it like you are a garden and all the good and beautiful things you planted have sprouted into a lush sea of flowers. Whereas the negative things that you let root themselves in you grow into unsightly and distracting weeds. Ultimately these negative weeds can get in the way of you receiving that which is already yours. Let it go!

A common misconception is that because we feel damaged and broken some may say tainted then we don’t deserve the best. I understand this feeling because for a time I felt like I was being overlooked by God because I was not in the best state of being. This way of thinking is the very thing that will keep you from growing into a better you. We think that we need to be some perfect human for God to bless us and work on us. When in actuality God will meet you where you are and bless you in spite of. 

Be consistent and deliberate with the extraction of these negative weeds from your garden. Understand that by facing the very thing you shudder to bring to light is the epitome of growing through what you go through. Growing is never easy but growing is necessary. For you to truly get that which you desire you have to grow through some things as you go through some things. No, it is not always the most comfortable and ideal process, but it is one that you should go through and let it take you where it needs to take you. Your place of Growth! 

Benefits of Letting Go

I find that keeping a positive outlook on your journey of growth helps your momentum in moving forward. Letting go of things that don’t serve you is such a crucial part of our journey. These things attach themselves to us from time to time yes, that however doesn’t mean they need to stay. Negativity is heavy and therefore can weigh you down the more of it you have in you and on you. Being optimistic is your best weapon against doubt and fear.

I will be candid for a moment and use myself as an example. For as long as I can remember I have struggled with low self-esteem. I would do everything I could to stay as far under the radar as I possibly could. However, in doing so it produced one very prominent notion in my life that I couldn’t escape. Loneliness! Even when surrounded by others I felt isolated. I struggled with connecting with people and that just made the gap bigger and bigger. Well, in these more recent years of my life I have decided to let go. Let go of all the negative things that weigh me down. One in particular is my low self-esteem.

I have been making it a point to come out of my shell more and interact with others even if it’s just a simple hello. This decision has boosted my confidence and thus improved my quality of life. I’m no social butterfly but I’m also not the secluded individual that I was for so long. You see the benefits of letting go of negative things is that it gives more room for positive and impactful things to grow. As long as you are careful not to replace a negative with a negative then only good can come from letting go of negative things.

In Closing

As you climb your way up this mountain called life you will need to be as light and unincumbered as you can manage. Letting go of heavy needless weight will only see you prosper. Identify what you are holding onto that maybe you shouldn’t. Then, take time to let it go and bring you to a place of growth. Never forget to be positive and establish the benefits of letting go. My advice to you is not to Hold on but instead Let It Go…what’s meant for you is waiting. Do yourself a favor and get out of your own way and let God be God. Go forward and be blessed. You Got This!!!

Let It Go video: https://youtu.be/zrl8bmaRc4o