Letting Go

It has taken me a few years, but I have finally figured out what it means to be happy.

It really is that simple. The Lord teaches that wickedness never was happiness and he teaches happiness is actually a choice.

How does one choose happiness?

Let go. That’s how you do it. Let go of the things that don’t make you happy. Let go of all things you don’t want or need. Let go of bad habits. Let go of peer pressure. Let go of poisonous thoughts and feelings. Let go of negative people in your life. Let go of unrealistic expectations.

It isn’t easy to let go. You can do it!

Here are some ideas of things you can let go of for the happiness you seek:

Let go!

Let go of needing to know what will happen next and the need to be right. The need to be certain leads to anxiety, depression, and sadness. Besides, if you knew everything, there would be nothing to look forward to, life would be empty and even boring. so celebrate the now! Now is a pretty good place to be.

Let go of grudges. I believe we need to forgive our enemies. I believe forgiveness is a letting go and allowing a high power to take over. Besides, forgiving others isn’t about them. It’s about you. You deserve to be able to move on. The only way to move forward is to let go of resentment festering and growing inside of you. Forgiving is not condoning a person’s actions nor is it letting a person back into your life. It is letting go of the pain. You deserve freedom, not being tied down by the pain of the past. Give yourself closure. Don’t wait for others. Take back the power by letting go.

Let go of the misconception that worldly success and greatness are the same thing. They are not. Most people think that success is what we are all working for… a success defined are wealth and fame. I fell victim to this belief for a few years. Wealth is not happiness. I am now finding happiness in doing my job well. I find happiness by pursuing my passion. I find happiness in applying myself 100% and with full integrity. I find happiness in not caring what other people think about my choices to say “no” to things that will just add unwanted stress and “yes” to things that peak my interest.

I have found that that true greatness is a success no one can ever be taken away from me. The crowd is fickle. Peace of mind is eternal and unbreakable. Peace of mind is a happiness that lasts forever.

Let go of pride. Pride is a destructive force. When pride gets in the way, you refuse to see your mistakes. When pride gets in the way, you never truly learn. When pride gets in the way you stop improving. When pride gets in the way, relationships are destroyed.

Let go of insecurity and worries. Worries are the recipe for unhappiness. Worries and insecurity come from judgement of self and others. So let go!

Let go of your need for perfection! I believe the perfect referred to in the Bible is about being finished, not flawless. Things may never be perfect and it’s okay. I find great value in the learning that happens in an imperfect life.

Let go of the belief that other are better or have it better than you. The grass is not green on the other side of the fence. It is just grass. Nobody has a perfect life and if they say they do, they are lying.

Let go of the belief that your happiness lies with someone else. No one else’s love or approval is a substitute for your own. Only you can give yourself permission to be happy. Love yourself. Other people can bring meaning and some happiness to your life, but it doesn’t have to be a prerequisite to your happiness.

Let go of past trauma. I is far too easy to lay awake at night worrying about some terrible thing that happened to you or some awful thing someone said to you. I get that you can’t control the actions of others. You can control how you react to the trauma. You can stop feeding into the cycle. You can stop giving the power to find happiness to some other person. Let go of the past!

Let go of addictions! Addictions come in all forms, drugs, alcohol, toxic relationships, drama, work, any number of things. Addictions make you unhappy. Addiction form because we feel we need to fill a void that can never be satisfied. It is a desire for more when there is never enough. It is a bottomless pit. Recovery from addiction may be the hardest thing you ever do, but it will be the biggest step you take toward lasting happiness.

Let go of the fear of failure!

Let go of your comfort zone!