Let’s talk about the power of letting go, but first, I want to ask you something…
How much of your day do you spend thinking about the past?
Reliving old mistakes?
Holding onto something—or someone—that’s no longer part of your life?
You may not realize it, but every time you remember something, every time you sit there thinking about some old lousy experience—whether it’s regret, resentment, or loss—you’re letting it affect how you feel, how you think, and even what choices you make moving forward.
I get it.
Some things are hard to let go of.
I’ve been there.
I’ve had my share of bad times, and I’ve had moments where I was so far down that I never thought I’d climb back up.
Over the years, I’ve replayed these moments over and over in my head, thinking,
“What if I had done this differently?“
What if things had worked out another way?
But here’s what I learned:
Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. It doesn’t mean pretending something didn’t happen. It’s actually way easier than that.
And today, that’s exactly what we’re going to talk about.
Because if you can master the power of letting go, you can really start moving forward.
You can really start thriving.
The Power of Letting Go
The fascinating thing about our past is that we bring our past into the present every time we dwell on it.
When you sit there, thinking about and remembering a moment in your life, like a break up, getting fired, or whatever it is, you are actively bringing that memory and all its baggage to the present.
And, it not only affects how you feel in the present, but whatever it is you remember can get colored by your current mood, circumstances, and perspective.
Because that same memory might feel different depending on how you’re feeling today or what’s happening in your life.
Now, as you go through your day, you can’t always control what thoughts or memories surface.
And the past definitely has a way of creeping in on you, sometimes unexpectedly. I know.
So while you may not always be able to control what you think about, what you can control is how long you dwell on those thoughts, how you choose to feel about them, and whether or not you decide to give them power over your present actions.
Most importantly, you control what you do next—how to proceed after that memory resurfaces.
As I often say, you may not be able to control what happens to you in life, but you can always control how you react to it.
When you find yourself stirring up old memories from your past, particularly negative ones, you have a choice.
Yes, you have a choice.
Do you let it weigh you down? Or do you acknowledge it, take whatever lesson it holds, and then move forward with a new positive intention?
That choice is always in your hands.
Let’s say you went through a painful breakup—one that completely shattered you.
Maybe it was a long-term relationship; this person was a massive part of your life. You imagined a future with them, and now, suddenly, that future is gone.
You have a choice to make.
You can let that heartbreak define you.
You can decide that love is too risky, too painful.
You tell yourself, “I never want to go through this again,” and shut yourself off.
You can avoid dating, avoid relationships, and convince yourself that you’re better off alone. And sure, maybe you will find a way to enjoy single life.
Or…
You acknowledge the pain, but you don’t let it control your future. Instead of shutting down, you take time to heal.
You focus on yourself—your goals, passions, and personal growth. You rebuild. And when the time is right, you open yourself up again.
You take another chance at love, knowing that, yes, heartbreak is a risk, but so is missing out on something incredible like true love.
You allow yourself to experience joy, passion, and connection all over again—this time, with someone who truly loves and values you.
This is what letting go really is.
It’s not pretending something never happened. It’s choosing not to let it determine your future.
Because when you hold onto past pain, you’re not just remembering it—you’re reliving it over and over again. And that keeps you from embracing what’s ahead.
Now, letting go simply means to let go, to stop holding on.
That’s all it means.
It’s not about ignoring your past, it’s about not carrying its weight anymore, especially when it brings negative energy or holds you back.
Look—you have thousands of thoughts every day. Most of them come and go, passing through your mind like cars on a highway. But some, YOU choose to hold onto.
YOU choose to replay them over and over.
YOU choose to let them affect your mood, your confidence, your decisions, and your actions.
So, here’s the first step to learning to let go—it’s not always easy, but it’s where it all begins.
The first step in letting go is to recognize this: No matter how painful, difficult, or unfair that past memory is, YOU are the only one keeping it alive by holding onto it. No one else. Just You.
And you are the only person who has the power to let it go.
And the moment you realize that?
You take back your power.
Now, as I mentioned, we don’t always control what memories surface.
So, another key part of letting go is learning to redirect your focus when a negative memory creeps in.
When that memory resurfaces and you find yourself dwelling on it, simply redirect your focus to something else as fast as possible – whether it’s a time you lost money, made a bad decision, or faced rejection, shift your attention to something in the present.
Focus on what you’re currently doing, or something you need to do, or a task that requires energy, like going to the gym or taking a walk.
Because here’s what happens.
When you start thinking about a bad experience, your mind will immediately begin to pile on more negative thoughts; it’ll start creating a whole scenario of what would have happened, what could have happened, or what should have happened.
Let’s say you suddenly remember a time you made a bad investment and lost a lot of money. You start thinking:
“What if I hadn’t lost that money?”
“I should have made a different choice.”
“If I had just done that differently, my life would be better now.”
But here’s the truth—you don’t actually know how things would have played out.
Sure, hindsight is 20/20, but who’s to say the “better” choice wouldn’t have led to an even bigger loss or a worse situation?
You don’t know.
And many things happen for a reason—sometimes to teach us, sometimes to redirect us, sometimes to prepare us for something bigger.
So, the next part of letting go is not sitting there wasting time and energy feeding that bad experience with more negative thoughts.
Instead, let it go. Stop overanalyzing it. Redirect your focus. Move on to something bigger, better, and more meaningful.
Now, here’s the most important part of letting go.
Many of us stay stuck in the past because when we think about certain moments, we start making assumptions about ourselves.
When you sit there thinking about a break up, getting fired, or whatever. You might start telling yourself:
“I’m not good enough.”
“I failed.”
“No one will ever love me.”
“I should have done better.”
“I’m no good.”
Well, guess what!
That’s just not true.
Life is a series of experiences, and every experience—good or bad—is an opportunity to learn, grow, and improve.
Let me tell you!
There is no one on this planet who has it all figured out.
No matter what you see on social media, no matter what car they drive, no matter how big their house is or how many businesses they run, everyone has challenges and struggles that they face every day that you never see.
Don’t let your past define your future.
The most important part of letting go is to find a goal, a dream, something that truly lights you up. And then bury yourself in it!
I promise, when you immerse yourself in something that excites you, when you set a goal and start taking steps towards it, those negative memories and past regrets will fade into the background.
You simply won’t have time to think about them, and if they do randomly pop up, you’ll be happy enough to just let it go, smile and move on; not letting your past hold you back because you’re actively engaged in moving forward toward your dream!
Because here’s the truth:
The biggest part of letting go is simply moving forward.
You can’t change the past but you can focus on and pour energy on creating a beautiful future.
Yes, you might feel resistance, self-doubt, laziness, or even fear of failing again.
But let me tell you the truth:
You are capable.
You are stronger than you think.
You are far more powerful than you give yourself credit for.
So set that Goal, move toward it with decisive action and let go of the negative memories that try to stop you.
Because the best weapon against the past—the best tool for letting go—is a future you’re excited to build.
Remember, at the end of the day, letting go isn’t about forgetting, it’s not about pretending something never happened—it’s about freeing yourself from the weight of the past so you can move forward.
You have the power to decide what you focus on, what you hold onto, and what you let go of.
So, here’s my challenge for you:
Take one thing today—one memory, one regret, one past mistake that’s been weighing you down—and let it go.
Make your choice.
Shift your focus to something bigger, something that excites you, something that will move you forward.
What’s one memory, one experience that’s been holding you back?
And what goal or dream can you replace that with?
Remember—your future is waiting. Keep moving forward.
Love,
Jim
