Moving On and Letting Go¶

Sometimes, the 'prope decision is to release something, let it go, move on. To do so, we may need to work on understanding the situation, grieving the loss, and making the transition as healthy as it can be.

Many people hold on to things for too long. Delay might come from procrastination. We might be avoiding recognizing the situation or avoiding the work of dealing with it. We might be unwilling to say goodbye even though it is time to leave. We might think that waiting will make the transition less painful.

Examples of things that might be best to let go:

• Relationships that no longer fit a healthy place in our lives
• Agreements, structures, or habits that once worked well but no longer fit the changing situation
• Visions of what could-have-been
• Life stages that have passed

CL processes can help us decide whether and how to let go of something. We can consider how it fits with our current commitments, attune to why we resist letting go, and check how we feel about other ways to resolve the situation.

When we let go, we need not justify it by denying the ways that something served us well in the past. We can honor the connections, grieve the loss, and find a compassionate view of anyone or anything affected by the transition.