“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.” -Eckhart Tolle
A wise older monk and a younger monk were traveling together down a muddy road. A heavy rain was falling.
As they came around a bend, they met a lovely girl unable to cross the intersection.
“Come here, girl,” said the wise older monk. Lifting her in his arms, he carried her over the mud. He sat her down and the two monks went on their way.
The younger monk was silent until that night when they
reached a lodging temple. Then he no longer could restrain himself. “We monks don’t go near females,” he told the wise older one, “Especially not young and lovely ones. It is dangerous. Why did you do that?”
“I left the girl there,” said the wise old monk. “Why are you still carrying her?”-Taken from a true story of Hara Tanzan, a Buddhist Monk.
Summary:
Letting go can be difficult, but you’ll torture yourself mentally and emotionally by holding on. Breathe deep and let whatever it is go. Life doesn’t always follow the script; rules are bent and broken; the ideal doesn’t match the real. Carrying wounds long after the battle is a mark of immaturity and only hurts you. Learn to drop things so you can move forward.
Reflection:
- What are you holding on to that’s holding you back?
- How will it benefit your life to let go of what you are holding on to? How will your life change when you learn how to move on from the past?
- How can you and/or your team use this message to help you?
Moving Forward:
- The only thing we control in life is our own actions and decisions. Start to recognize when something is out of your control and make a conscious decision to drop it from your mind. Wear a rubber band on your wrist and each time you start to focus on something you cannot control, pop the rubber band.
- Creating a “Me Circle” is a great exercise for helping you focus on the controllables. Visit http://r2lc.com/me-circle/ for directions. Note: the blog was written for athletes but apply to any area of life.
- Share this message with someone that is still holding on to something they need to drop so they can move forward.
“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.”
–Raymond Lindquist
For more stories like this, check out Challenger Deep: Stories, Fables and Lessons to Help You Rise Above Adversity: Challenger Deep: Stories, Fables, and Lessons to Help You Rise Above Adversity – Tami Matheny