Letting go can profoundly change your life. By the time you finish reading this, you’re going to learn what letting go truly means, debunk a common misconception that holds most people back, and discover a straightforward three-step process to release something you’ve been clinging to.
The essence of letting go revolves around releasing built-up layers of repressed emotions and feelings. Often, we misunderstand the relationship between our core emotions and our thoughts. Addressing only the symptoms, like fear or anger, without tackling the root cause, keeps us stuck. Letting go is not about pushing feelings away but embracing and releasing the resistance to them.
Key Takeaways
- You will learn the true meaning of letting go.
- A common misconception about letting go will be debunked.
- A clear three-step process for letting go will be revealed.
Understanding Letting Go
It’s a fact that most people throughout their lives repress, suppress, and try to escape from their feelings.
This suppressed energy accumulates and seeks expression through physical symptoms like bodily disorders, emotional illnesses, and disordered behavior in interpersonal relationships induced by psychological stress.
The accumulated feelings block our mental and spiritual growth and awareness, as well as success in many areas of life.
The Core of Releasing Emotions
Letting go means freeing yourself from the inner stress caused by repressed feelings. These feelings, like anger or guilt, weigh you down. Releasing them makes life lighter and easier.
Levels of Awareness
David Hawkins’ scale of consciousness describes how emotions pull us down or lift us up. Negative emotions tie us to lower levels, while releasing them allows us to move up to higher, lighter states.
Here is Dr. David Hawkins’ scale of consciousness, or what I call the chart of emotions:
| Emotion | Level of Consciousness |
|---|---|
| Enlightenment | 700-1000 |
| Peace | 600 |
| Joy | 540 |
| Love | 500 |
| Reason | 400 |
| Acceptance | 350 |
| Willingness | 310 |
| Neutrality | 250 |
| Courage | 200 |
| Pride | 175 |
| Anger | 150 |
| Desire | 125 |
| Fear | 100 |
| Grief | 75 |
| Apathy | 50 |
| Guilt | 30 |
| Shame | 20 |
Emotions and Thoughts: A Tree Comparison
Think of your emotions in the chart above like a tree with many branches. Each core emotion in the chart leads to many thoughts and smaller emotions. By focusing on these branches, you miss the root. To truly let go, address the core emotion, not just the surface issues.
The Misconception
Focusing on the Core, Not the Details
Imagine you have a tree in your backyard that you don’t like. Every spring, new branches and leaves grow, and you cut them off one by one. Despite your efforts, new branches always seem to appear. This is similar to how we handle our emotions. Each branch represents a different problem or feeling like fear, shame, or anger.
Chopping off these branches is like tackling each issue separately, but the roots remain, causing more branches to grow back. The real issue lies in the tree’s roots, just like our core, deep-seated emotions create multiple problems.
The Urge to Eliminate Bad Emotions
Think back to your childhood. You expressed emotions freely until an adult told you to stop—maybe you were told not to cry or get upset. This teaches us to see certain feelings as bad or unacceptable. As a result, we try to avoid or suppress these emotions.
The biggest misconception about letting go is thinking you need to get rid of negative feelings completely.
Many believe they can just cut away doubt, fear, or insecurity forever. The truth is, letting go is about releasing the resistance to these emotions, not burying them further. By doing so, you naturally rise to a better emotional state.
The Process of Letting Go
Step One: Recognizing What You Feel
Begin by acknowledging what you are feeling. Ask yourself directly, “What am I experiencing right now?” Focus not on your thoughts but on the physical sensations in your body. Do you have tightness in your chest or perhaps butterflies in your stomach? Notice these feelings without judgment, approaching them with a sense of curiosity and bravery.
Step Two: Letting Go of Resistance
As you recognize your feelings, you might sense a push to avoid them, a resistance. Instead of shoving these emotions aside, allow yourself to experience them fully. Remember, the goal is not to bury these feelings but to release your resistance to them. This can be challenging, but acknowledging that this discomfort is part of the process can help you navigate through it.
Step Three: Moving to Higher Emotional States
Once you learn to let go of your resistance, you will naturally move to higher emotional states such as courage, neutrality, and acceptance. These states are not forced; they come as a byproduct of allowing yourself to feel and release your true emotions. Embrace this journey as it lifts you to a better emotional place.
Real-Life Example
The Tale of Two Fish and the Water
Imagine you’re swimming in an ocean of emotions, similar to two young fish who don’t recognize they are in water. They go about their day, unaware of the water surrounding them, until an older fish points it out. For many people, it’s the same with emotions. You’re so used to your feelings that you may not even notice them anymore.
You might spend your time trying to avoid, suppress, or express your emotions without truly recognizing what you feel. It’s like living in water without realizing it. By becoming aware of your emotions, you can start to understand and accept them rather than push them away. This is the first step in letting go.
To practice this, ask yourself regularly: “What am I feeling right now?” Focus on your physical sensations, such as tightness in your chest or butterflies in your stomach, rather than your thoughts. Accept these feelings with curiosity and courage, even if it feels uncomfortable.
This awareness helps you release the resistance you may have towards your emotions, leading you to a higher sense of emotional well-being.
Practical Application
To let go, start by checking in with yourself. Ask, “What am I really feeling right now?” Focus on your body’s physical sensations, such as tightness in your chest or butterflies in your stomach. Don’t judge these sensations; just notice them.
Three-Step Process:
- Awareness:
- Identify what you’re feeling without trying to change it.
- Notice your physical sensations like tightness, pressure, or warmth.
- Acceptance:
- Accept your emotions without trying to push them away.
- Understand that it’s normal to feel uncomfortable or resistant.
- Release:
- Visualize letting go of the emotion as if you’re opening your hand and releasing a balloon.
- Allow yourself to feel the emotion fully, then visualize it dissolving away.
By using these steps, you’ll find it easier to let go of built-up emotions and feel lighter. Practice them regularly to make letting go a natural part of your life.
Related content: