Let Go

There are only two kinds of things that occur in life: things that are in our control and things that aren’t. Yet, we often blur this line: Sometimes deliberately, sometimes unconsciously. The mind, in its desperate attempt to feel secure, grasps for mastery over what it cannot truly hold. I’ve learned this the hard way. I’ve now identified this atrocious behavior in myself as of late, and it’s imperative to remind oneself how dangerous this manner of thinking can be. There’s an arrogance buried in that impulse, a quiet insistence on attempting to grip the uncontrollable while neglecting the very tools we hold in our hands. This fixation on external outcomes or other people's behavior is a dangerous trap; it’s a leakage of power that leaves us bankrupt when it comes time to invest in our own progress.

This struggle typically stems from allowing transient emotions to blind us from what is objectively happening in front of us. We find this most prevalent with people we are deeply invested in, where their actions trigger feelings of anxiety, frustration, or unease. In these moments, we rarely ask ourselves, since when was this person responsible for my emotions? Do I control what I feel or do they? Understand, nobody can make you feel anything without your permission, and reclaiming that truth is the first act of liberation. The second we allow our emotional state to become contingent upon another person’s choices, we’ve surrendered our power. When you fixate on how someone else "makes" you feel, you are effectively handing them the remote control to your life and wondering why you can't change the channel to success.

You must realize that you are solely in control of your perceptions, attitudes, and reactions. Everything else lies outside of your direct and complete jurisdiction. No amount of mental rehearsal, late-night scrutiny, or emotional spiraling will change the nature of another person or an external event. To live meaningfully aligned with one’s ideals requires eliminating emotional attachments that distort clarity. When we let go of the urge to control the uncontrollable, we recover precious attention to direct toward growth, discipline, and creative evolution

The paradox is that letting go isn’t resignation; it’s refinement. To release attachment to outcomes is not to stop caring, but to start caring differently. Therefore, the key to progression is to release your expectations and look at things objectively, effortlessly, and rationally. This shift in perspective allows you to stop fighting the wind and start adjusting your sails. When you stop obsessing over what isn't yours to change, you gain the clarity to adapt and recreate yourself to the given circumstances. 

Progress, then, isn’t found in tightening our grip—it’s found in loosening it.

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” -Exodus 14:14 NLT

“The desire to control everything around you is a satanic temptation/desire” —Myron Golden

“Always remember what is yours and what belongs to other people, and you won’t have trouble.”—Epictetus