Letting go of anything in life takes strength and courage. Letting go makes a huge impact on your perspective on daily life, and though it is a hard act, the benefits it brings to your mental health and well-being are well worthwhile. Steps can be taken in order to help analyze what in your life is bringing you negativity.
One of the most important steps you can take in letting go is looking at your surroundings. Are you surrounded by people that lift you up, or do they bring you down? Dropping even so much as one toxic friend can immediately change your outlook on life and change it for the better. It’s a difficult thing to find the courage to let go of some of your friendships as each one impacts your life differently. I truly believe that once something in your life leaves you, it will be replaced by something much better for your mental health and life.
Another step you can take towards letting go is teaching yourself that being at peace may be being alone if that’s the situation you are put in. Everyone is putting on a smile no matter how many friends, or how much fun it seems they’re having. Sometimes the company of others may be the thing bringing you down. Being alone is better than being with someone who keeps you company but truly only puts a damper on your mood or constantly has you walking on eggshells around them.
I’ve had to let go of friendships I held very close to me, scared to think of what would happen next. As I let go of them I allowed myself space to heal and to find the friendships that make me the happiest person I can be. Letting go is a freeing feeling that brings you the energy, motivation, and courage to carry on with your life. You only get one life, don’t live it surrounded by people and things that make you miserable. Let yourself be happy. Let yourself live life not dictated by others. Make yourself the happiest you can be by letting go.
Ashley Feder is a BBG from Torrance, California, who is Argentinian and a part of the first board as gizborit of a new chapter in PWR called Shemesh!
All views expressed on content written for The Shofar represent the opinions and thoughts of the individual authors. The author biography represents the author at the time in which they were in BBYO.