Gaining more by Letting Go – How to Unclog the Abundant Flow of Possibilities

“Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive.” – Bryant H. McGill

Let it go, let it be, let it flow. Easier said than done, they say. But is it?

The hardest part about letting go of anything isn’t usually the act of letting go itself. Hanging onto something that’s trying to get away is much more difficult and takes a lot more effort than simply letting go of it. It is the resistance to the act of letting go that makes it hard to do – the fear, the uncertainty, the aversion to change. Resistance takes a lot of effort – it is the action of going against something. While it can be worth the effort to fight for something that’s truly important; more often than not, the things that we’re clinging to, fighting for, or resisting change from might not actually be worth the price.

When we are hyper focused on keeping things a certain way, such as expectations, a grudge, a story from the past, a stubborn idea, bottled up feelings, or control over pretty much anything, we limit ourselves to all of the potential and possibility that is available outside of our preconceived notions. When the answer is an instant ‘no’ without the space for any consideration at all, we are definitely selling ourselves short. Feeling stuck, stagnant or like there are no options? This can all be an indication that it’s time to let go a bit.

Letting go doesn’t necessarily mean we are losing anything, in fact, it’s often quite the opposite. When we let go of something, we open ourselves up to be able to receive much more.  When our hands are closed tightly around an object, there’s no way for us to receive or hold anything else. If we are holding on too tightly to something, we’re likely to destroy the thing we were holding to begin with or hurt ourselves. Once we let go of the things that are keeping us closed off, we gain the ability to open our hands, our minds, our hearts and our lives to all of the possibilities already present and on their way! 

Let it go, let it be, let it flow. What if you gave it a try?   

Below are 7 ways to let go. Give some of these a try and see what happens.

#1 –  Let go of Old stories.  Holding on to stories from the past about ourselves and others is a very common way that we block our own potential for growth and expansion. Of course, the things that happen in our lives have an impact on us, they teach us things (good or bad), they inform us and give us a framework for what we might expect moving forward. But hanging on to stories of the past as “the way that it is” or “the way that it always will be” can shut down any hope of possibility in its tracks. We are always changing, shifting and growing. Life is always changing and evolving. It’s easy to notice when the change is for the worse, but it can just as equally be for the better. Recognize the possibility for change for the better starting now. Let go of that old story so that you can write yourself a new one.

#2 –  Let go of Expectations.  It’s normal and fine to have expectations. In fact, it can even be fun at times, but clinging too tightly to our expectations can cause a serious amount of grief and disappointment when they aren’t met. Our expectations help us to have an understanding of the world around us and, if we’re paying attention, an understanding of ourselves and our desires in relationship to the world. Expectations are usually based on past experiences but they can also involve our hopes, dreams and desires. Although expectations can be helpful in some ways, a lot of the time they aren’t really necessary. What is going to happen is what is going to happen, regardless of our expectations about it. Realizing this and letting go of the need for our expectations to be fulfilled or even the need to set them at all can open us up to an immense amount of freedom and discovery. Without the comparison between expectation and what is actually happening, you can create space have genuine feelings about the experience itself as opposed to the comparison. You might even find that you enjoy the experience more by allowing it to happen organically, to be surprised, delighted or even learn something new. Letting go of our expectations allows us to open to more possibilities.

#3 –  Let go of Perfectionism.  There’s really no such thing as “perfect” unless you’re of the mindset that things are already perfect just as they are. Perfect is a relative term and the definition can change depending on who you ask. Continuing to chase after “perfection” is only going to keep you running forever. Wanting to do a good, great or even excellent job at something is a noble pursuit, but when this desire crosses over into the unsustainable habit of seeing every flaw in everything in the name of the quest for improvement and perfection then you will rarely, or more likely never, find satisfaction or happiness. Not only that, you’ll miss seeing all of the abundant GOODNESS that is already present. Give up this pursuit right now. Let it go. Let things be as they are and allow yourself to see all of the beauty and goodness in things, instead of what needs fixing.

“Perfectionism is not a quest for the best. It is a pursuit of the worst in ourselves, the part that tells us that nothing we do will ever be good enough.” – Julia Cameron

#4 –  Let go of Limiting Ideas. Our thoughts have so much power. What we think influences what we believe, how we feel, how we act and so on. When we become close minded, think that we already know everything, believe our own ideas are right without considering other options, or have ideas that limit possibility we are cutting ourselves off from the infinite options that actually exist. There’s always going to be another possibility. You might not know about it because you might not have thought of it; but just because you didn’t think of it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist or isn’t possible. How would you know? Allowing yourself to recognize how much you don’t know and being open to the unknown, enables you to begin the exploration for more. If an idea comes into your mind that limits you in some way, kick it to the curb! There is always possibility in the unknown.

#5 – Let go of “Protecting yourself”.  
There is an important place for setting boundaries and protecting yourself from real harm. This is where real protection lives. But sometimes, we get confused between what is a true threat and what is a fear. Taking physical precautions is a smart thing to do, but constant mental protection against possible “threats” can put you in a scenario where you are experiencing being threatened even when you are not. When we close ourselves off from the world under the guise of “protection”, our imagination can take over and keep real experiences from getting through. This can also manifest in feeling like we need to protect our assets, like there is not enough to go around. Whether that’s physical items like money and objects or energetic ones like love, attention, recognition, peace and happiness. When we come from a place of lack, thinking that there isn’t enough, our survival instincts are triggered and we convince ourselves we need to protect ourselves, or keep others from getting the things that we want and think we need. This is unnecessary. There is enough for everyone. Let go of this false protection. Allow yourself to notice the abundance of love, happiness and goodness in the world. The more you recognize this and give this energy to the world yourself, the more you will receive it

#6 – Let go of your Emotions.  Emotions are fluid. They change and shift based on our circumstances. Emotions are reactions in relationship to experiences, thoughts, feelings, and a myriad of input and influences. They aren’t meant to be held onto. They are meant to be released, so that the next emotion can be felt. Do you ever try to control your emotions too much – keeping them under wraps so that others don’t see them, waiting for a more “appropriate” time or place, avoiding them because you don’t want to feel them, denying them in the name of “strength”, whatever reason? When we stop the natural expression and release of our emotions we stop the flow of life. We get stuck in the current emotion we’re trying to suppress. If we are avoiding feeling an emotion (for example grief or anger), we are also delaying the release of that emotion and the ability for new emotions to come through (like peace or happiness). Pretty soon we become either numb or continually under the influence of a stuck emotion. Set your emotions free by letting them BE. Once we let go and allow our emotions they are given permission to move aside for the next emotions to come through. When we allow an ebb and flow of expressing and feeling emotions we can create balance and much needed harmony.

#7 – Let go of Control over the Uncontrollable.  The world can be a scary and intimidating place. The unknown is just that, unknown. It makes perfect sense that we would want to feel a sense of control when there is so much that is seemingly out of our control. Although there is fear in the unknown, there is also opportunity – possibility for greatness beyond your wildest dreams. When we let go of trying to control things, we are welcoming possibility. It’s good to be thoughtful, to take the future into consideration, to have a plan, to think ahead, and to consider others. However, when our thoughts become wrapped up in trying to make things fit what we think is good or best or safe, we are wasting a lot of energy and attention. Overplanning every little detail in order to be prepared for any and every outcome or worrying over what others might be doing or thinking takes away from what is really happening right now. It robs you of your presence in the current moment and takes away the real power you actually in the moment. Once you let go of that which you can’t control, you can begin to notice the things that you can control: how you choose to view the world, what you choose to put your attention on, where you place your mind, and how you act and react. Re-engaging with the true power that you have in any given moment can also help you trust in your self…to realize that when the time comes to act in any given moment you will know what to do. You can make clear and present choices for yourself based on what’s really happening!