“Setting others free means setting yourself free.” Catherine Ponder
Have you ever tried to take away a ball from a dog? The ball firmly clenched, the dog shakes her head from side to side. She wants to play, but won’t let go. We do the same when we hold onto unhealthy relationships, unrewarding jobs, outdated ideas, and bad habits. We want something new in life, but the fear of letting go is bigger than the pain of the situation.
We don’t have to give up the intention for what we want, but we do have to be willing to give up how we go about getting it. When we surrender attachment, there is an extraordinary sense of freedom, an abundance of possibilities, and awareness of infinite love. How do we surrender? We practice taking our attention off the need to possess something or change someone. Instead, identify those values you want to express in life. Choose to focus on what brings you joy, on what lights you up. Find a place to be of service. Take time to go within and ask what is yours to do.
Letting go requires a level of acceptance, adaptability, and trust in the flow of life. It involves acknowledging that holding on to something that no longer serves us can be detrimental to our well-being. When we let go of control, we allow the dynamic doors of the universe to open to infinite potential and possibility.
Richard Rohr states, “All great spirituality is about letting go. It trains us in both detachment and attachment: detachment from the passing so we can attach to the substantial.” When we can let go of our need for control and trust that things will work out as they should, we open ourselves to the possibilities available to us.
Affirm: I am willing to release what no longer serves me.