If you want to move forward, you sometimes must let go of things. This cannot be easy, but it is often necessary if we want to grow and improve. This blog post will discuss some things we should let go of to make progress.

Let go of things and emotions that hold us down.

It can be challenging to move forward and grow if we keep letting things and emotions hold us down. We need to learn to let go of anything that is not making us feel happy and fulfilled. Why hold on to such things if they are not benefiting us in any way, right? However, letting go of things can be easier said than done because they may have deeply ingrained in our lives. Some of them may have become a habit, or we are afraid to let go of them because we think they may have become a part of us, and letting them go will make us incomplete.

To let go of things effectively, we must become aware that these things are bogging us down. Once awareness develops, time and effort are needed to make the necessary changes and actions to help us let go. Do not expect that you can easily let go of things; start small and think about what you can gain if you let go of something. You then have to condition your mind that letting go will be better for you and there could be something else that will benefit you more. So what are the things we could learn to let go of to have a better life?

1. Excessive control

Trying to control every outcome and how people will treat you is futile. It is impossible to control the thoughts and actions of others entirely, and there are things beyond our control, like the weather and the decisions and actions made by organizations and companies that are well beyond our influence. Moreover, many things will not happen according to your expectations, so instead of fussing around with them, it's better to focus on things you can control, such as your reactions, and something you can change with your skills and knowledge. It also helps if you practice spirituality and think things will work out better. This positive mindset can help you focus on what you can control and leave everything else to whatever supernatural force or faith to work on.

2. Too much worrying about the past or future, or both

It's normal to worry about the future, considering how uncertain it can be. We also like to think about the past and get nostalgic over the happy moments we used to have, especially during our childhood days. Some may also ponder past grievances. It's okay to think about such things now and then, but if our worrying and concern about the past or future get excessive, we may feel stuck in life or paralyzed in fear of what could happen. We may face difficulty overcoming past mistakes or fearing the future. So the better thing to do is to prioritize the present moment because the truth is that we spend most of our time in the present, and the past and future quickly become our present as time goes by. The present is where we can make the changes to improve our lives, so we should let go of our worries about things that have already happened or are yet to happen.

3. Material possessions that don't benefit us anymore

As life continues and we keep buying things, our houses can get filled with excess clutter to the point that our homes may look like warehouses or stockrooms. Some of the things we buy may be out of compulsion or needing to keep up with others. As a result, we can end up having lots of stuff that we don't often use, filling our rooms with excess clutter. If you notice you have some stuff that you don't use and are just taking up space, it might be better to let go of them, such as giving them to others or selling them to others who may need them more. It's a good idea to buy only those we need and those we care about, such as things we need for work and those that fall within our interests, like our hobbies and passions.

4. Negative feelings

Some people like to keep their feelings bottled. Perhaps they don't know anybody to speak to about their concerns or don't have any means to express their negative thoughts and feelings. Things like anger or holding grudges over someone can affect us negatively and robs us of a happier life. Everybody has a limit to how much they can tolerate before exploding out of frustration and anger, and bottled-up emotions can be like a volcano waiting to explode. Who knows what we can do if we can't take it anymore? So we must find a way to release our negative emotions and let go of them, such as learning to forgive the people that wronged us or having healthy outlets to direct our focus elsewhere, such as doing exercise and meditation or playing games to let out our feelings.

5. Bad habits

Unproductive and unhealthy habits are things to let go of if we want to reach our big goals. Not practicing enough self-care, taking your mind and body for granted, procrastinating, spending too much time with technology, etc., are some habits that need to go away if you intend to grow and improve. Of course, it may not be easy to let these habits go if you are already used to doing them, but with enough effort and discipline, it's possible to make a change and get in control of your life. What's essential is to have the awareness that you are doing something that is affecting you negatively and have the willingness to change.

6. Negative people

People can also be things that we can let go of. It may sound harsh, but some people in our lives don't benefit us in any way other than giving us stress and creating toxic relationships whenever we are around them. If you value your mental health and want to live a happier life, it's better to let go of negative people who bring more harm than good to your life. It can be one of the most challenging decisions you need to make, especially if the concerned person is someone you know well and has been with you a long time. However, we must realize that it's better to spend time with positive people that trust and support you rather than those who only make you feel unhappy.

7. People's expectations of you

Look at your life, see if you are doing what you want, and check if you follow your values and vision. If you are not, chances are you are only following what others demand from you and not living your own life. People can have many expectations from us, ranging from how we should act to what we should do in life according to society's standards. Peer pressure and the need to conform can be difficult to resist. However, if you want to live the best life that you can attain and don't want to become a puppet, you need to figure out what can bring you happiness and fulfillment on your terms. We can always heed the advice of others, but ultimately, it's our choice to think and do what is best for our well-being and overall happiness. Letting go of people's expectations is the first step; taking action comes next. If we give in too much to what others expect, we will live our lives according to how others want, not what we want for ourselves.

8. Fear and limiting beliefs

Some of the things that keep us from making things happen are our fears and limiting beliefs. Our fears can be about anything, such as fear of what can happen if we make a risky decision or decide to move out of our comfort zone. On the other hand, limiting beliefs prevents us from taking action for fear of making mistakes that replicate what happened to us in the past. A belief forms in our minds that if we do such a thing again, the same failure or mistake will happen again. If we let fear and limiting beliefs run in our minds, our progress in life can be stalled, and we can end up stuck. So we must learn to let go of such feelings to move forward and experience more of life.

Letting go is essential to make life better.

Life can get filled with unnecessary clutter, including all the habits, objects, and thoughts that are not serving us well in making life better. A good rule to remember is that if there is anything that is not giving you good feelings whenever you engage with it, it can be one of the things to let go of in your life. So why bother keeping something if you don't feel okay with it? So many things are only weighing us down and preventing us from soaring to what we can achieve. Letting go gives more space for our minds and physical space in our reality, so we can fill ourselves with things that matter and are beneficial to whatever we want to pursue.