How to Let Go

Last month, I met with a group of aspiring Unity ministers, seminary students at Unity Worldwide Spiritual Institute. As part of their classwork, they were doing a deep dive into decades of Daily Word messages to discover how our description of spiritual truth has evolved over the years. I was invited to learn of their discoveries and discuss their takeaways.

One student researched how Daily Word covered the idea of letting go and letting God. She noted some changes over the years and one troubling similarity: The messages shared the idea that letting go is a good thing to do and assured readers they would feel better once they did it, but they didn’t share practical tips on what the process entails. For this student, it was a crucial piece, and I realized it might be for you too.

I asked my husband, a practicing psychotherapist, how he advises clients to let go and break the chains of rumination and obsessive thought. His advice was simple: Crowd out unwanted thoughts by replacing them with thoughts of what you do want instead of what you don’t. Fortunately, Unity teachings of denials and affirmations help us do exactly that. Denials, of course, don’t mean denying objective reality. For instance, there’s no point in declaring you’re not sick if you have a fever and a churning stomach. What you’re denying is the idea that illness has lasting power over you or is part of your divine identity. This awareness can be applied to any unwelcome situation. Repeating affirmations—positive statements of spiritual truth—will cause positive, empowering thoughts to grow in consciousness, crowding out rumination and quieting unwelcome thoughts, making it easier to let go.

Prayer is another way to give our concerns over to the presence of God within. There can be tremendous comfort in knowing we need not face our troubles and trials with our human faculties alone. The simple act of pouring out our worries in prayer can bring relief from carrying the burdens we’re holding onto. Prayer opens and relaxes us, creating a space for the light of spiritual truth to shine through and ultimately diminish our distressing thoughts.

Another thing that can make letting go difficult is the need for forgiveness, which can keep us bound to what we want most to release. It might help to examine our feelings around circumstances we can’t bring ourselves to let go. Is there a lingering grievance or an unresolved hurt caused by another? It could also be ourselves we struggle to forgive. Maybe we can’t let ourselves off the hook for a situation we helped create and now can’t find a way to fix. Either way, forgiveness helps us see the truth of all people and every situation. We are so much more than our mistakes and missteps. Forgiveness is a commitment to this truth.

Patience and Commitment

These three useful practices can help us let go. But perhaps the most important practice is patience. Just as you would not expect to undertake a fitness program and have a toned physique or rippling muscles after the first few workouts, you likely will not fully let go of something because you said affirmations for a few days or prayed a couple of times. Progress is gradual. Commitment is key. You will find that once you practice these methods regularly, you will see changes. The gains may be imperceptible before they become noticeable. Maybe you’ll find yourself sleeping better. Maybe you’ll feel lighter and more relaxed. You might grow more optimistic. All these changes indicate that, little by little, you are letting go.

It’s also important to remember you are not alone in this process. I encourage you to avail yourself of the wonderful resources Unity has to offer. If you’re having trouble releasing your concerns in prayer, call or write the Unity Prayer Ministry so they can pray with you. If you would like to fill your consciousness with uplifting words and practical affirmations, read Daily Word. And to receive the wisdom of spiritual leaders in Unity on a variety of topics, read our free monthly booklets, starting with 40 Days: Let Go, Let God, our Lent booklet for 2024, available now.

Filling your mind with positive spiritual truths will help you let go.  With practice and with patience, you will come into your own spiritual power, choosing your thoughts and creating your life.