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Find out my favorite inspirational quotes about learning to let go and how difficult and painful may be but sometimes it’s so important.
Letting go can be quite a daunting and emotionally turbulent process. It involves releasing attachments, surrendering control, and allowing the natural flow of life to take its course. While it may seem counterintuitive, letting go is often the key to finding inner peace and experiencing personal growth. Imagine carrying a heavy backpack filled with old memories, resentments, and regrets. The weight of this baggage can weigh you down, draining your energy and preventing you from moving forward. But when you choose to let go, you lighten your load, freeing yourself from the burden that has held you back for far too long.
So, it’s a journey, and it may take time and effort. It requires self-compassion, patience, and a willingness to surrender control. But as you gradually release the past and embrace the present, you will discover a newfound freedom and joy that comes from living in alignment with your authentic self. And, I hope these quotes about learning to let go may inspire and motivate us on our journey toward moving forward.
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Quotes about learning to let go
“The Orange Girl” by Jostein Gaarder
My reason for writing this post is the movie that I watched yesterday. The Orange Girl (Appelsinpiken) is a Norwegian drama/romance directed by Eva Dahr and released in 2009. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it before. Jostein Gaarder was one of my favorite authors in my adolescence after reading his bestseller, “Sophie’s World”.
So, “The Orange Girl” story is about Georg. It’s a boy whose father died eleven years ago when he was only four. When Georg becomes sixteen years old, his mother gives him three letters. His father wrote to him just before he died. In the letters, Georg reads a story. It’s a riddle from the past that begins with an incident in his father’s youth. And, he asks his son to help him finally solve the puzzle of Orange Girl’s identity.
The movie was very touching without extremes. It had a more sober perspective of how to handle a big loss. And, how to let go of the grief and inner anger about life. It was realistic with dramatic elements that the heroes were trying to battle with through philosophical questions and a thoughtful view. In the end, it shows the importance of gratitude. It’s essential to appreciate what we have now. And, live all the precious moments of our life.
Jostein Gaarder let go quotes
“Life is short for those who are truly able to understand that one day the entire world will come to a complete end.”
Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl
“We can’t own each other’s past. The question is whether we have a future together.”
Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl
“Things can be so nice here that it’s terribly painful to think that at some point the days will run out. What would you have chosen, if there had been some higher power that had given you the choice? Perhaps we can imagine some sort of cosmic fairy in this great, strange fairytale. What you have chosen to live a life on earth at some point, whether short or long, in a hundred thousand or a hundred million years? Or would you have refused to join in the game because you didn’t like the rules?”
Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl
“If I’d chosen never to the foot inside the great fairytale, I’d never have known what I’ve lost. Do you see what I’m getting at? Sometimes it’s worse for us human beings to lose something dear to us than never to have had it at all.”
Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl
“But the dream of something unlikely has its own special name. We call it hope.”
Jostein Gaarder, The Orange Girl
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More inspiring letting-go quotes
Practicing mindfulness and being present in the here and now is a helpful approach. By focusing on the present moment, we can cultivate a sense of gratitude and appreciation for what is, rather than dwelling on what was or what could have been. This helps us shift our perspective and find peace within ourselves.
“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.”
— Roy T. Bennett
“Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.”
— Nicole Sobon
“You can’t move forward if you’re still hanging on to what’s behind you.”
— Susane Colasanti
“Letting go doesn’t mean that you don’t care about someone anymore. It’s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.”
— Deborah Reber
Letting go is practicing forgiveness
Letting go is practicing forgiveness. By forgiving yourself and others for past mistakes, hurts, or betrayals, you create space for healing and transformation. Forgiveness is not about condoning or forgetting, but about releasing the negative emotions that hold you captive.
“The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.”
— Steve Maraboli
“Letting go does not mean you stop caring. It means you stop trying to force others to.”
— Mandy Hale
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
— Joseph Campbell
“Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be.”
— Anon
“Time doesn’t heal emotional pain, you need to learn how to let go.”
— Roy T. Bennett
“Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything – anger, anxiety, or possessions – we cannot be free.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting
Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting or dismissing the past; rather, it means accepting what has been and embracing the beauty of the present moment. It means acknowledging the pain, disappointment, and heartache, but not allowing it to define your future. It means opening yourself up to new possibilities and allowing yourself to heal and grow.
“Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” –
— Steve Maraboli
“One of the most courageous decisions you’ll ever make is to finally let go of what is hurting your heart and soul.”
— Brigitte Nicole
“Once you realize you deserve a bright future, letting go of your dark past is the best choice you will ever make.”
— Roy T. Bennett
Negative emotions are part of the journey
In the process of letting go, we may encounter various emotions such as sadness, grief, anger, or fear. These emotions are perfectly normal and part of the healing journey. It’s important to give ourselves permission to feel and process these emotions, allowing them to flow through us like waves, knowing that they will eventually subside.
“People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar.”
— Thich Nhat Hanh
“Some of us think holding on makes us strong but sometimes it is letting go.”
— Hermann Hesse
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