“Letting Go” To Take Control

Scott W. Farley
Regional Branch Manager
Phone: (808) 748-2454
NMLS ID: 261382

Everyone’s heard the phrase “may you live in interesting times,” but did you know it’s actually an English expression purported to be a translation of a traditional Chinese curse. While seemingly a blessing, the expression is normally used ironically, with a clear implication that uninteresting times are more life-enhancing than interesting ones, which, from a historical perspective, usually include conflict and disorder.

There is little doubt for those of you who follow the daily news, read any kind of periodical, peruse the internet for information or live in a world of social media that we are in fact living in interesting times.

And for those of us in the financial world, things are often more “interesting” than we might like.

Rather than allow yourself to get caught up in all the turmoil, chaos, and chatter, I suggest we all learn the valuable lesson of letting go. When negotiating life’s twists and turns, it’s easy to get bogged down by past experiences and focus on things that have gone wrong. Fear and worry can become the main drivers of our existence and, without realizing it, they can slowly destroy your health and happiness.

So, if you’ve had financial problems, disappointments in business, unsuccessful real estate ventures, what I am suggesting is that the concept of letting go could be the answer to getting back on track and becoming productive and successful again. Letting go is not the same as giving up. Reflect on the trials and tribulations you’ve weathered in such a way that helps to understand what actually happened and parcel out some sort of life lesson.

When you’ve experienced disappointment, whether in a friendship, a job, or a financial venture, we tend to avoid

similar situations for fear of failing again. That fear can stop us from seeking out new opportunities. When in reality, taking chances is necessary if we hope to push our own boundaries. Although failure can sometimes have a big impact on your confidence, the failures we experience in life, if reflected upon properly and addressed, are less likely to be repeated in the future. This goes for being turned down for a loan or losing a bid on a house you thought you deserved -look back at these experiences for a lesson to be learned, let it go, and then move on.

Worrying about the past or fretting too much about the future ultimately distracts us from what is right in front of us. Learning to let go is really about trusting your own instincts and decisions about what’s best for you and what you know you can achieve. When you’ve done all the hard work and honed your perceptiveness about how to strive for your goals, letting go becomes second nature. Letting go may sound or feel like you’re losing control… when in reality it is actually assuming complete control.