Hard choices

On the power of letting go

Words by Carl Phillips

"I follow four dictates: face it, accept it, deal with it, then let it go." – Sheng-yen

Facing up to a challenge, accepting it as such, dealing with it head on. These are hard things to do.

Harder, for most of us, is the concept of letting go. Letting go of possessions. Letting go of anger. Letting go of control. Letting go of preconceptions. Letting go of attachment. 

Hard choices, no doubt. The path less travelled. But there is choice here. An active role for us to play, should we care to. here is also reward to be found, underneath these choices.

Holding on creates friction and tension in our lives. Friction we can do without.

Letting go of what doesn’t serve us will make us lighter. We will feel a renewed sense of freedom. Less stress. Less anxiety. More space. More room for what matters most.

Committing to a New Direction

We can unlearn and relearn new ways.

We can decide to lean into hard choices.

We can decide to face our challenges, accept them, and try our level best to deal with them.

We can also make a fresh commitment to the art of letting go. Letting go of doubt, letting go of regret, letting go of fear, letting go of resentment, letting go of comparisons.

Is this easy? Not even close. It’s a lifetime’s work.

Carl Phillips

Carl is a writer and runs Frictionless Living, a site about the pursuit of simplicity to help us focus on what matters most. It’s about finding clarity in distracted times.

Website
frictionlessliving.net
Instagram
@frictionlessliving
Twitter
@frictionlessliv

Our Book, Inside Minimalism Vol. 2

A collection of 50 short and relatable essays on simple living by a small team of writers from different backgrounds, but who all share a deep appreciation for minimalism as a way of life. This book covers many topics such as slow and quiet living, meditative practices, curation, consumerism, and family. It is not a strict guide book or a rule book. Rather, it is a book we hope will inspire, motivate, and encourage you to take a slow and simplified approach to life.

Order our book

Available in paperback and eBook formats