By 10 THINGS TO LET GO OF BEFORE THE NEW YEAR STARTS
Angel Chernoff
In the fall of 2002, after a stressful day at work, I snapped at Marc and locked myself in our home office to work on a web application I had been coding on the side. Marc’s grandmother, who was living with us at the time, knocked on the office door a few minutes later. “What?” I screamed. She didn’t answer. When I opened the door in frustration, she smiled and said, “Honey, someday you will think it’s funny that you were so darn serious today.”
Boy was she right? And now, every time I catch myself entering a bout of stress-induced irritability, I take a deep breath and do my best to let it GO. Today, I encourage you to do the same.
Truth be told, today is the oldest you’ve ever been and the youngest you will ever be again. It’s kind of scary, but it’s true. If there was ever a perfect day to start letting go of the needless drama and stress that’s been holding you back, that day is today. And since we often use the New Year as starting point to refresh our personal growth and goal setting, I challenge you to this:
Before the New Year…
1. Let go of what isn’t helping your soul smile and grow. – Life is to be enjoyed, not endured. Follow a path that moves you. You are always free to do something that makes you smile.
2. Let go of the baggage you know you need to leave behind. – As we grow older and wiser, we begin to realize what we need and what we need to leave behind. Sometimes walking away is a step forward.
3. Let go of feeling like you aren’t making progress fast enough. – No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you progress, you are still way ahead of everyone who isn’t trying.
4. Let go of the idea that you have too much to lose. – In the end, you won’t regret the things you’ve done nearly as much as the things you didn’t do when you had the chance. I’d rather have a life of “OH WELLS” than a life of “WHAT IFS.” Wouldn’t you agree?
5. Let go of worrying about everyone else’s opinions of your life. – When writing the story of your life, don’t let someone else hold the pen.
6. Let go of your tendency to avoid problems. – You cannot change what you refuse to confront.
7. Let go of all your empty complaints. – If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.
8. Let go of the excuses. – If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.
9. Let go of lazy attitudes and routines. – You can’t underestimate a person who always works hard. Be that person. In life, you don’t get what you wish for; you get what you work for.
10. Let go of the idea that it’s too late to start over again. – Remember, it’s always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of the one you don’t.
Note: If you’re reading this late and the New Year is tomorrow, or really soon, pick one point to work on now, and then make it a goal to complete the list over the course of the upcoming year.
And of course, if you’re struggling with any of these points, know that you are not alone. Many of us are right there with you, working hard to feel better, think more clearly, and live a life free of headaches and heartache.
