To “let go” means to stop holding something, and to stop thinking about or being angry about the past. It does not mean “to get rid of” — it means “to let be.” When we let be with compassion, things come and go on their own. It is one of the hardest things to figure out in life, because our emotions usually cloud our logic.

Signs that it's time to let go

• Staying in it always makes us feel broken, depressed, and frustrated
• We justify holding on when it's really not worth it
• We refuse to acknowledge the present because it hurts too much
• We've already exhausted all our efforts but everything stays the same

Ways to let go

• Learn to forgive — we don't forgive for the other person, we forgive for ourselves
• Remove our clutter — it's not easy, but once we start, it becomes easier to let go of more
• Let go of grudges, negative perspectives and toxic relationships — the grip loosens the more we release it
• Drop negative attitudes about ourselves — keep a running list of accomplishments, even small ones, and let's accept and love ourselves as we are

To heal, we must let go of our fear of letting go. Letting go doesn't mean we don't care about someone anymore — it means realising that the only person we really have control over is ourselves. It means coming to the realisation that some people are a part of our history, but not a part of our destiny.

Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let our tears water the seeds of our future happiness. If we let go a little, we have a little peace; if we let go a lot, we have a lot of peace — and with peace comes the opportunity to identify our Purpose of Life and chase it.