Letting Go

On my latest trip to Washington, D.C., I had the good fortune of being able to run down to the mall.  I love that you can run for miles and visit numerous breathtaking and thought provoking memorials.  You can jog by the beautiful grounds and gardens or just take in the architecture of the various buildings. 

For this last run, I was determined to visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. I had heard many people comment on how beautiful and impactful it was.  Visiting the Jefferson, Lincoln and FDR memorials on prior visits, I was not surprised that this was the case. The art and form of each of the memorials is incredible, but what moves me the most are the quotes and works attributed to them, etched on the walls.

When I visit, I like to take pictures of the quotes that touch me.  The one that resonated the most this time was this:

“Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” 

– Martin Luther King, Jr.

When I read this, it nearly drives me to tears.  Martin Luther King, Jr. wasn’t a perfect man, nor were Jefferson, Lincoln or FDR.  But, what sets them apart from all the other imperfect souls in our world is that with all that was going around them, they chose to help and speak out for the greater good.  They sought to benefit us all. 

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words have inspired me.  They have inspired me to make a move in a positive direction. Letting go. 

Letting go of hate, anger, fear, pain, regret.  We all have feelings that we cling to.  Whether it be because we feel it motivates us to do good, or maybe, even though we know it’s not the best for us, we hang onto these feelings because they are familiar and are afraid of what will happen if we let them go.  We question, “What next?” or, “Will what fills the void be worse?”  Familiarity gives us comfort – but sometimes we need to step outside of our comfort zone.  

Words like change, new, unknown, and different are not negative. They are a chance to compare and contrast.  A chance to expand our horizons.  We need to embrace change, embrace what is new, what is unknown, what is different.  

This next week I am going to let go.  Let go of fear.  Let go of regret.  Let go of pain.  

Fear keeps me from achieving what I want.  It makes me doubt myself.  This week I am going to write down my fears, why they are there, and how I can let them go.

Regret.  Regret is guilt.  Guilt is the worst kind of motivation.  The motivation that speaks from the back of your mind and everything that is said makes you want to hide.  But you can’t hide.  All you can do is put it off.  And the guilt just keeps hanging on. To tackle my regret I am going to cross at least one thing off my to do list that I should have done a long time ago.  Write an email to a long lost friend. I have more, but that’s just for this week:-).

Pain is pleasure and pain is pain.  Some pain we can live without.  Headaches, cramps, stomach aches.  Some pain we crave without knowing it.  Heartache and the pain that comes from a crazy hard workout.  

Heartache, while excruciating at the time, brings about an appreciation for those we love. It brings an appreciation we had lost.  Workout pain we love because we can see and feel the physical and mental benefits once we are finished.  We need to be careful, though.  Sometimes we push too much and cause irreversible damage.   This week I am going to work on how I let go of pain and embrace the workout.  It’s all about the mantra.

What is weighing you down?  What can you let go that might give you a new lease on life?

Would you try writing down your fears and why they are there?  Would you challenge your view of pain as it relates to working out?  Is there anything you regret that you have avoided taking action on?  Now’s the time.  We can do it together:-)