Whether you’re angry with something a co-worker said yesterday or you’re harboring deep resentment from your childhood, learning how to let go of those things can be important to your physical and mental well-being. Practice these strategies to help you let go and experience relief.
1. Write an Angry Letter and Burn It
Sometimes watching your problems go up in flames can make the problem seem to disappear.
2. Journal About Your Feelings
Writing things down can offer you perspective.
3. Set Aside Time to Meditate
Meditation can resolve many unresolved feelings.
4. Learn and Practice Mindfulness Skills
Focus on the here-and-now and allow your problems to slip away.
5. Recognize Physical Symptoms of Stress
Identify when stress is taking a toll on your health so you can make changes accordingly.
6. Identify and Replace Destructive Thoughts
Destructive thoughts can make you feel worse. Replace overly negative thoughts with more realistic ones.
7. Engage in Regular Exercise
Exercise can reduce stress and keep your mind and body healthy.
8. Get Plenty of Rest
Sometimes a good night’s sleep offers a fresh perspective that may allow you to let go of whatever’s bothering you.
9. Talk to a Friend About the Problem
Talking to a friend can offer you a different point of view about how to let go.
10. Talk to a Friend About Something Other than the Problem
Talking about something other than the problem can also help you get your mind off things.
11. Participate in Problem-Solving
Develop a list of what would need to happen to help you let go of the problem.
12. Practice Deep Breathing
Deep breathing relieves stress and clears the mind. It can calm your emotions so you can take a logical approach about how to let go of the issue.
13. Establish Goals
Rather than focus on the past, establish goals for the future.
14. Use Guided Imagery
Guided imagery offers a break from ruminating on the current problem.
15. Reflect Without Judgment
Reflect on the events that transpired without placing blame on yourself or anyone else. Stick the facts, and it may help you find out how to let go of the issue.
16. Draft a No-Mail Letter
If you’re mad at someone else, or even an inanimate object, creating a letter that expressing your feelings can be very helpful. Throw away the letter when you’re done and move on.
17. Ask Yourself How Important this Issue will be in 5 Years
Often the things we can’t let go of seem like a big deal. However, many of those things won’t matter at all in the future. Ask yourself how important this problem will be to the rest of your life.
18. Accept What You Can’t Control
Practice accepting that you can’t control everything.
19. Practice Loving Others
Focusing on your love for others can help other problems melt away.
20. Imagine the Problem Floating Away in a Balloon
Visualizing the problem floating away can help you let it go.
21. Perform Random Acts of Kindness
Contributing to another person’s happiness will change your focus.
22. Remember that Pain is Normal
Pain in life is inevitable and it can help you build character.
23. Distract Yourself
Don’t ruminate on the issue. Instead, engage in an activity to take your mind off it.
24. Look at the Big Picture
Remind yourself of the big picture in life and it can be easier to let go of something from your past.
25. Empathize with the Other Person
If you can’t let go of something another person did, try to develop some empathy for how that person might have felt.
26. Ask Yourself What Advice You Would Offer to a Friend Who Had this Problem
Often it’s easy to be more logical when you give advice to a friend. Ask yourself what recommendation you would give a friend about how to let go of something and then take your own advice.
27. Accept Your Responsibility
Accept any responsibility you had in the situation, even if it were a small piece.
28. Repeat Positive Affirmations
Develop some positive statements to repeat over and over such as, “I will be okay.”
29. Seek Spiritual Comfort
No matter what type of spiritual beliefs you have, look for comfort in your spirituality.
30. Be Grateful for What You Have
Remind yourself of all the things you have to be grateful for.
31. Visualize the Problem Shrinking
Imagine the problem slowly shrinking until it finally disappears.
32. Learn From Your Mistakes
Chalk the situation up to a life lesson that you can learn from and take something away from it.
33. Plan for the Future
Look toward the future and it can help you let go of the past.
34. Practice Loving Yourself
Be kind and take care of yourself so that you can set yourself up for success.
35. Develop a Plan
Determine what steps you can take to deal with the situation instead of avoiding it.
36. Identify the Consequences of Not Letting Go
Make a list of the potential consequences of not letting go to help encourage yourself to actually let go.
37. Adjust Your Expectations
Remember that no one is perfect and life isn’t fair. When you adjust your expectations it can help remind you that problems are a part of life that happen to everyone.
38. Listen to Music
The psychology of music[1] shows it is a great way to elicit hidden emotions and promote healing.
39. Behave Assertively
If your feelings are hurt, speak up in a tactful manner.
40. Seek Professional Help
If you can’t let go of something and it’s impacting your life, seek professional help. A counselor can assist you in letting go.
