Letting go and being able to move forward can be an easy or difficult decision. One thing that connects us as human beings is our ability to feel pain. Whether that pain is physical or emotional, we all have experienced it. What separates us though is how we deal with that pain. Experts have found that when emotional pain prevents you from healing from a situation, it’s a sign that we aren’t moving forward. One of the best ways to heal from hurt is to learn lessons from the situation and use those to focus on growth and forward momentum. If we get stuck in thinking about what “should, would, or could have been”, we can become immobilized in painful feelings and memories.

In the wake of this pandemic, we are faced with the glaring challenge of letting go. We can’t expect that when our Shelter in Place is lifted that we will resume our lives like nothing ever happened. For most, this new normal will be very painful. Loss of employment, childcare, cars, and homes, as well as human contact in ways of a handshake, hug, or kiss can create a painful void for some. Change is difficult, while some live for it, others grieve at the thought of it. Some people have worked at the same company, lived in the same home and dated the same person because that is familiar to them. They don’t like change, and they become too complacent to think about the possibility of change. Most of us don’t want to let go of things we enjoy, so we hang on until they’re forcibly taken away. Even then, we still hold on mentally and emotionally. What we may not realize is holding on can have a negative effect on our lives. Well, COVID-19 has certainly shifted every perspective and interrupted our level of comfort to say the least. There is so much we can’t do about this virus, yet there is so much we can look forward to as a result of it. Holding on to things that are out of our control can cause a great deal of stress and unhappiness. Letting go is a conscious decision to no longer ruminate on the things that are out of your control and focus on what you can control instead. Also, it creates the space for fresh beginnings, stripping you of the disappointments of yesterday and enabling the doors of brand new opportunities to open. It is so important that we honor where we are in our individual journeys. This is a process that may be more challenging for some than others. Embrace wherever you are right now. The human mind can either be our greatest ally or our worst enemy. Having the power to let things go starts there.

Stay present!! The present is all we have. We have to make an effort to allow ourselves to open up and be mindful that every day is a new opportunity. No matter how much I stumble or struggle on my journey of letting go, the present is always here to remind me that I don’t have to remain focused on yesterday or worry about tomorrow.

I have worked very hard to create and maintain a successful business. I went through a period of devastation. I felt that everything I’ve built is now being jeopardized by this virus and I won’t have the resources and stamina to reinvent myself. I soon realized that gratitude is my most essential practice. By embracing and appreciating the life I have, I can begin to let go of the longing for something that is out of my reach. I had to remember to be kind and have compassion for myself, so that I can heal and continue to be creative. Letting go is a practice of faith, discipline and commitment. I had to change my perception and change the direction of my thoughts to find something new to focus on in the process (this website). Remember to heal at your own pace. This is your individual journey. There is no right or wrong way to adapt to the changes before us. Moving on may feel impossible. It’s not. It takes hard work. Let go, trust the process and be at peace. You’ve got this!

(Reference-To Anyone Who Struggles With Letting Go. Jaimee Ratliff)