Ways to Let Go and Move On

Holding on is like believing that there’s only a past; letting go and moving on is knowing in your heart
that there’s a bright future ahead. Let’s take a look at eight ways to design the latter.

1. Accept the truth and be thankful. – To let go is to be thankful for the experiences that made you
laugh, made you cry, and helped you learn and grow. It’s the acceptance of everything you have,
everything you once had, and the possibilities that lie ahead. It’s all about finding the strength to
embrace life’s changes, to trust your intuition, to learn as you go, to realize that every experience has
value, and to continue taking positive steps forward. (This process is something Angel and I discuss in
the Adversity chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

2. Distance yourself for a while. – Sometimes you need to take several steps back in order to gain clarity
on a situation. The best way to do this is to simply take a break and explore something else for a while.
Why? So you can return to where you started and see things with a new set of eyes. And the people
there may see you differently too. Returning where you started is entirely different than never leaving.

3. Focus only on what can be changed. – Realize that not everything in life is meant to be modified or
perfectly understood. Live, let go, learn what you can and don’t waste energy worrying about the things
you can’t change. Focus exclusively on what you can change, and if you can’t change something you
don’t like, change the way you think about it. Review your options and then re-frame what you don’t
like into a starting point for achieving something better.

4. Claim ownership and full control of your life. – No one else is responsible for you. You are in full
control of your life so long as you claim it and own it. Through the grapevine, you may have learned that
you should blame your parents, your teachers, your mentors, the education system, the government,
etc., but never to blame yourself. Right? It’s never, ever your fault… WRONG! It’s always your fault,
because if you want to change, if you want to let go and move on with your life, you’re the only person
who can make it happen.

5. Focus inward. – It’s important to make a difference in the world. Yes, it’s important to help people,
but you have to start with yourself. If you’re looking outside yourself to find where you fit in or how you
can create an impact, stop and look inside yourself instead. Review who you already are, the lifestyle
you’re currently living, and what makes you feel alive. Then nurture these things and make positive
adjustments until your current life can no longer contain them, forcing you to grow and move beyond
your current circumstances.

6. Change the people around you. – Some people come into your life just to strengthen you, so you can
move on without them. They are supposed to be part of your memory, not your destiny. The bottom
line is that when you have to start compromising your happiness and your potential for the people
around you, it’s time to change the people around you. It’s time to join local meet-ups, attend
conferences, network online, and find a more supportive tribe.
7. Take a chance. – When life sets you up with a challenge, there’s a reason for it; it’s meant to test your
courage and willingness to make a change and take a chance on something new. There’s no point in
denying that things are different now, or being fearful of the next step. The challenge will not wait even
if you hesitate.

8. Life only moves in one direction – forward. This challenge is your chance to let go of the old and make
way for the new. Your destiny awaits your decision. (Read The Untethered Soul.)

9. Focus on today. – You can decide right now that negative experiences from your past will not predict
your future. Figure out what the next positive step is, no matter how small or difficult, and take it.
Ultimately, the only thing you can ever really do is to keep moving forward. Take that leap without
hesitation, without looking back. Simply forget the past, look straight ahead and forge toward the
future.

The floor is yours…