I got to thinking about this recently, and wanted to share my thoughts on ‘letting it go’.

Some years ago a relative of mine said “I think you need to let this go” to me. She was talking about my expressing thoughts/emotions I was experiencing after leaving a job which was not a good experience for me. I was shocked tbh and I didn’t speak about my thoughts on this again with her.

I think to be fair to my relative we can get seemingly stuck with our emotions following a negative experience. Maybe it even becomes rumination, and others might not like seeing us like this and indeed it can raise uncomfortable feelings within themselves.

However I got to thinking some more about this exchange between us. It’s many years ago now and I no longer have painful memories to do with the job and my leaving, with time it’s lessened and I’ve reasoned out the situation. I do believe I was processing the experience when I was told to ‘let it go’ and I understand that she didn’t appreciate my need to process and vocalise my thoughts. I was mistaken however in choosing her to confide in, this is what I’ve learned from that experience. Not everyone has the patience to handle someone slowly processing an experience (perhaps some process more quickly and don’t understand others may not).

I do think we can let things go, but only when we are fully ready. I’m learning all the time about this part of myself. I have been called an over thinker, and maybe that’s true or seems that way to others, but actually it seems like it’s how I process, slowly but thoroughly. Giving myself patience has been the biggest lesson and who to confide in is another one.

Hope this is helpful to someone, feel free to share your thoughts.