Why Letting Go of Control Can Help You Enjoy Life
Has anyone ever told you, “Just let it go”?
For those of us who tend to overthink, “letting go” is not easy and can feel frustrating. It’s a natural reaction to hold on to the emotions of fear, hurt, and control, which is like dead weight that affects every area of our lives.
Whether we’re attached to the past or anxious about the future, a tight grip robs us of vital energy.
So what does letting go mean, and how do you do it?
Something that helped me with this lesson was a mindset shift:
To let go, is to let it be.
The Secret is to Let it Be
Pictured here on my desk: the Radical Radiance book, the Savor Beauty Planner, and candles to symbolize letting go of that which no longer serves me.
The idea of “let it be” is to not control or change an external condition; this powerful and simple mind shift clears an internal space for a more radiant vibration.
It’s not about ignoring what’s there; it’s about appreciating the beauty of what is (the gifts, the lessons), but also choosing to focus on a new feeling.
We can even learn about letting go from the natural rhythm of our skin, which is constantly turning over dead, damaged skin cells in a fascinating process that scientists call “desquamation.”
When a new “daughter” skin cell is born at the deeper level, it progresses upward, allowing the older cellular layer to slough off. Shedding this buildup of the past stimulates cellular regeneration and helps nutrients absorb deeper into the skin, which improves its radiant vibrancy.
Our souls aren’t so different from our skin. We must allow the past to fall off in order for a renewed vibration to emerge. We don’t often take the time to symbolically let go of the past. We tend to ignore it or hold on to “what was” because we’ve become accustomed to the tight grip.
Last week, on an IG post, I asked our community what they needed to let go of, and the answers were profound:
Self-limiting beliefs
Gossiping as “it does not good!”
Inner critic
Always being on
Masculine energy to “own my feminine essence again”
Perfectionism and not seeing mistakes as “everything is ruined”
Nagging voice that “I don’t deserve good things”
Stressing about “things I can’t change”
Self-imposed guilt and “pressure to be a mom who doesn’t make mistakes”
Horrible thoughts that “I would never say to anyone else!”
Many of these self-saboteurs will always creep up on us. We can fight it or we can let it be by choosing to focus on a higher vibration that serves your greater good.
What do you need to “let be”?
Edited excerpt from RADICAL RADIANCE: by Angela Jia Kim. For my “Let it Go” ritual, read more in the book, Week 6: Nourish Your Radiance.
Copyright © 2022 by the author and reprinted with permission of St. Martin's Publishing Group.
