The Joy Of Letting Go

In his book, No Mud, No Lotus, author, and Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh says the following, "there is a kind of joy that comes from letting go."

I remember when I first read that statement, it was hard for me to understand.

How could one get joy from letting go? Keep in mind I am a recovering control freak so the concept was quite foreign.

However, what I have found along my journey is that this statement is so right and is one of the ways to live a joy-filled life.

What I have found is that my obsession with control limits the outcomes. I hold on so tightly that I choke the life out of the very thing I was looking to orchestrate.

When we try and control, manipulate and get so intent on managing the outcomes, we miss the joy and beauty of the growth process.

It seems counter-intuitive to let go.

It can be scary to hold things loosely and live with no attachment, but when we do our lives open up, our anxiety lowers and we can follow what is unfolding with confidence.

What are the things in your life that you are grasping onto and trying to control?

I encourage you to let them go and experience the freedom and joy that comes with it.

On the journey with you,

Carlos

This edition was first published in The Life Design Newsletter on LinkedIn.