Habits learned over years in a 12 Step
program—one day at a time, letting go, acceptance, courage, first things first—became
life lines, put to a new kind of test. Even after years of “12 step practice”
there have been days I needed to repeat the Serenity Prayer so many times, I
nearly wore it out.
So I was intrigued recently when I heard someone
talk about letting go as if it’s a one-time event. Like, it’s an on/off switch
or sports shoe slogan. Just do it. You
let go and presto. Fear and projection and worry are done.
If only.
I’ve worked on letting go for most of my
adult life. No doubt my over-developed sense of responsibility and amped-up
impulse to control spur my Groundhog Day approach to letting go—put it down, pick it up, give it over, take it
back.
I’ve been known to ceremonially let go by
writing down my worry, stuffing the paper into a jar, and tightly sealing the
top. Often that works. Sometimes, no lid is secure enough to guarantee I
won’t take the worry back.
Life would be simpler if I could learn to let things go once and
be able to move on. It’s just never been that way for me.
Does it work that way
for you?
And, if it does, can you share your secrets
to letting go?
