“Some think it’s holding on that makes one strong; sometimes it’s letting go.”
~Sylvia Robinson

You know that problem that you just can’t figure out? The one that’s keeping you up at night, and dominating your daytimes too? Let it go.

You know that challenge you’re not ready to give up on? That person who wants out of your team (or your life) that you won’t let go of? That problem that you’re sure you’ll solve if you just give it one more try? Okay, maybe two more tries? Let it go.

Sometimes we hold on. And hold on. And hold on. And try again and again and again. And sometimes that’s a smart choice, because it may only take one more try before we get it. But sometimes we hold on tightly because we’ve wrongly learned that that’s the strongest and smartest thing to do, and sometimes being strong is really about letting go.

The challenge is figuring out which situation you’re in.

If you’re holding on so tightly that your hands (or teeth) are continuously clenched, it might be time to be stronger by letting go. If you’re holding on so tightly because you’re sure it’s the only option, and you can almost hear the voices in your head taunting, “Only losers give up” – or whatever other nasty things those voices say to you, it might be time to be stronger by letting go. If you’ve tried everything you can think of, and some things you never imagined, over and over and over again, it might be time to be stronger by letting go. If everyone around you is telling you to let go, it might be time to be stronger by letting go. If your work and life are zapped of zest, joy, fun, and ease, it might be time to be stronger by letting go.

It might be time to give it one more try, and it might be time to be stronger by letting go. To counteract the taunting voices and unrealistic expectations you may have set for yourself (or others may have set for you).

It might be time to let go, even just a bit and for a minute, to see if it seems better, or easier, or stronger.

It might be time to be stronger by letting go.

Where do you need to let go more?
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If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.


For support in letting go, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.

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