LETTING GO

Step 1: Press Delete

A lot of what keeps us back in life is our inability to forgive. Even when we tell ourselves to move on certain negative occurrences in the past still occupy much of our thought-lives, replaying over and over in our minds causing regret, resentment, anger and even hate to build up inside us.

So how do you begin to develop the ability to forgive? Like everything else practice makes perfect! Since the art of forgiveness involves letting go, begin with something small like emptying your email INBOX, SENT BOX and FACEBOOK messages!!! I know, this sounds too insignificant a change.

But you are a complex being. Your life has many layers. Your spirit, your mind, your body. And these interact with a spiritual, social and societal network. You have a neural network, emotions, hormones and physical sensation which drive desires and dreams.

So when you woke up 3 years ago and decided, "I'm going to be a more forgiving person!" with the most optimistic smile on your face and to this day you still get a twitch when you think about that time your brother lit your hair on fire or you feel your blood boil when you remember Ed still owes you 50 bucks and you nearly crashed into the car in front of you when you got a flash-back of your old boyfriend, you realize "Oh! It's not that easy!"

No, change is never easy. But you have to start somewhere. And the key to making a big change in your life is to start by making little changes. Your behaviors may change and adapt depending on your setting and environment but they are driven by your same underlying values, principles and goals.

You may not want to delete a hurtful email thread cause you want to remember why you keep a certain individual at bay. Or you don't want to delete a love letter your old boyfriend gave you cause it brings the brightest smile to your face. Or you wrote the coolest email ever and you just can't delete that!!!

Whatever the reason, you are holding on to something for way too long and placing over-significance on little things. (I'm not saying don't stop and smell the roses people.) But you have your memories and emotions to remind you why someone is your close friend, acquaintance or enemy. In the same way you must clean your room, throw out old boxes and throw out bills of both good and bad purchases you can practice the art of cleaning up in other facets of your life.

Habits are contagious! If you start practicing letting go, stop taking yourself so seriously and moving on in the little areas in your life, like starting with your various and sundry inboxes and outboxes, it will definitely transfer to other areas of your life and give you the tools within to move on when true challenges come your way!