This Is How You Know It’s Time To Let Go And Move On

What is it about other people’s mistakes that can shake you up so much? You’ve heard it over and over—people only affect you when you allow them to, as much as you allow them to. 

That draws on a basic assumption of you being in complete control of your feelings and emotions at all times. Which, due to people being imperfect human beings, isn’t really possible. Of course you aren’t, because you’re going through this thing called life, one day at a time, almost always unprepared for everything but the facade of routine. 

Once in a while, something nudges you out of that daily grind. If you’re lucky, those things are good things that create joy and gratitude in your heart. But sometimes, those things are simply not very good. In either case, it’s mostly due to other people. You can, of course, affect and change your own life, but those are things you are aware of and hence you expect the effects of those things. 

But other people, phew. It’s other people that can affect you out of nowhere. An unexpected moment of joy, a terrifying pang of hurt. And sometimes, those people can make mistakes that hurt you. They, too, are imperfect human beings. And human beings mess up, still sometimes guided by primal instinct or subconscious self-preservation. Sometimes you don’t even know why you’d react to something the way you do. 

So where does that leave you? Affected by external factors, intentional or not, meaningful or not, fleeting or not. But those factors make an impact nonetheless. And there you are, with a sudden change in mood and an unhappy feeling rapidly settling over you. 

When do you let go? That is the question. And one that has an answer that is neither easy nor quick. You let go when you’re ready to. It sounds simple, doesn’t it? But know this—ready looks different, not just for different instances, but also for each situation you go through. Not just because the incidents differ, but because you, as a person, also grow and change with each difficulty you face in life.

And so, the version of you that reacted a particular way may well be different from the you of today that’s wiser and stronger. And the stronger you that’s starting to look after yourself and prioritize yourself, that’s the you that’s going to leave no stone unturned to make you happy.

That’s the you that’s going to decide when to let go and move past the hurt. 

That’s the you that’s in charge. 

Have faith in yourself, because the little nugget of strong, raw, powerful you is waiting within. In your corner.