While sipping my coffee this morning and flipping through the morning posts of family and friends, I came across a question that a colleague posted.

“If you could LET GO of one thing in 2023, what would it be?”

Here are some of the responses:

• Debt
• Getting old (where is that magic youth pill)
• The past
• Blood Pressure
• My jelly belly and alcohol (I can relate to the jelly belly – lol)
• My Ego
• Commenting on FB (where would be the fun in that?)
• My frustration at people that would rather be victims… (A victim of victims?)
• Stress (showed up a few times)
• QPS (not sure what that one is?)
• Self-doubt (that one showed up a couple of times)
• Brick Walls (yes, I find them in the way too)
• My hatred (try drinking more coffee)
• Back pain ( I can relate at times to that one too)
• Bullies ( Having been bullied as a kid, then elevating to the experience of harassment…)
• Deaths
• Sickness
• PTSD and the nightmares
• The Job
• Expectations (the killer of JOY)

Interesting list.

Can you relate to some of them?

All of them?

And what can you think of for yourself? (please feel free to share in the comments or even email me – I am very responsive.)

There is a short, wonderful Zen story…

About the Zen master Tanzan and how he imparts an important lesson to one of his students. It’s a simple and powerful message for all of us.

Tanzan and his student were walking along a path when they came upon a river crossing. At the river crossing was a young woman who could not cross alone. She asked the two monks if they could help her. Without any thought, Tanzan picked the woman up, even though he had vowed not to touch any women, and carried her safely across the river to the other side. The student was taken aback and astonished at Tanzan’s actions as he followed the two across.

She thanked Tanzen and continued her journey, as did Tanzan and his student.

Several hours had passed when the young student could not hold back his anger and dismay at his master’s actions.

In an agitated voice, the student said, “Why did you carry that woman when it is widely known that you took a vow never to touch women.”

Tanzan replied, “I set her down hours ago by the riverside. Why are you still carrying her?”

The reminder…

It is a wonderful story that reminds us not to dwell on the past in a way that interferes with us living in the moment. Blocking our access to happiness, joy, and feeling alive.

Our birthright is happiness, joy, peace, well-being, and unconditional love. It is built into us at birth. We were designed that way.

The nano-second you LET GO, you naturally fall back to your space of well-being and experience joy, happiness, and peace of mind.

“You fall in Love. No one runs to it. It is not a place to go to. It is a place to come from.”

Rick Ruppenthal

The number one question…

The most often question that comes up is, if letting go is the secret, why do I have such trouble letting go?

Excellent question because and like all things, the answer is simple.

Do you have a pen or a small object in front of you right now?

Pick it and hold it with an outstretched hand. Hold it for as long as you can, and you will notice how heavy it becomes. How much of a struggle it becomes to keep holding it.

Open your hand and drop it.

How does that feel?

Feels better, doesn’t it?

How hard was it for you to open your hand and release the object?

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Thank you for reading. Please leave a comment and a like and share this with others if you found value here.

I help individuals like you LET GO all the time. My purpose in coaching clients is to assist them in living full and enriched lives. That they continue to express themselves fully to enrich the lives of those around them. That is what the world needs now.

I have a coaching webinar on January 21st called “BE Ruthless with Your Joy.”

If something resonated from the above story, you would find everything in this workshop about letting go and experiencing more joy in your life.

If you would love to have a private free session with me about any struggle that you are having, please follow the link below. Absolutely no obligation to continue. In fact, I tell my clients, “You hire me to fire me.”