Letting go is hard. We hold on to so many things that no longer serve us. We stay in jobs that demoralize us. We stay in relationships in which we no longer have anything in common. We stay stuck on a strategy that isn’t producing the results that we desire.
Yet we continue to hang on — even more tightly than before.
The question is: why?
- It is emotionally challenging to let go of something that we’ve put a lot of time, sweat, and tears into.
- Letting go of something that is no longer working makes us question our abilities, problem-solving, and decision-making: how did something so desirable turn out so wrong?
- We see the act of starting over as beginning anew…without anything to support us as we move forward toward an unknown future.
- Perhaps most significantly, we refuse to let go because we’re afraid to change.
The only reason why we do not move forward is because we prevent ourselves from moving forward. Nothing in the universe is stopping us. Nothing.
Far too often, we stand in our own way. We ignore the warning signs of future challenges — or we bury ourselves in the past hurts that continue to victimize us.
We also worry about what other people will think of our decision to let go and start over. We exaggerate their influence in our lives. We even cater to the whims and wants of people who really don’t have our best interests at heart.
In the end, we sacrifice our own purpose and the creation of the legacy of our lives — simply because we’re afraid to let go and start over.
If you are in a place in your life where you need to start anew, consider these reminders:
- Starting over is not an indication of “failure” — it is a courageous act to move forward in creating the life that make us happy.
- Starting over is an exciting opportunity to let go of all the situations, people, and circumstances that have prevented us from creating and realizing our unique destiny.
- Starting over does not mean starting with “nothing” — we have the incredible advantage of insights gleaned from what didn’t work in the past and can now use that knowledge to avoid similar landmines in the future.
- Starting over is starting fresh — so let go of the nagging, belittling, self-deprecating self-talk in order to be lighter and more agile in moving forward.
You’re never too old to start over! Isn’t it time to get out of your own way and create success on your own terms?
Dr. Geri Puleo, SPHR, is the President and CEO of Change Management Solutions, Inc., an eLearning and Coaching company focused on eradicating workplace burnout through the B-DOC Model. An entrepreneur for over 25 years, keynote speaker, author, blogger, business coach, university professor, and researcher, you can see her “in action” by watching her TEDx Talk on YouTube. To contact Dr. Puleo, please go to www.gapuleo.com.
A New Way to Work 