It’s not just a song
We all know that song. It is beautiful but if I never heard it again my life would still be content. It’s not just a song, though. Sometimes it’s the best way to a resolution. Usually easier said than done, but with daily practice it can become your natural response. Really!
First step is willingness
Be willing every day to get practical training! And you also have to be willing to dismiss automatically the anonymous critics. That is critical. Social media is such a powerful tool. Seriously. Don’t even give those people a second thought.
Let me give you some examples of how I “let it go” – whatever it might be:
- Someone cuts you off while driving, or is too close for comfort? Maybe, just maybe, he or she is rushing to the hospital for someone. Or their child was not picked up by the school bus and is alone. It’s always a possibility. So let it go.
- Pick your battles! I ask myself the question “Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy” when I am tempted to get into a confrontation whose outcome is really just a matter of proving I’m right. Choosing to be happy may bruise your ego a little, but is such an easier choice! So let it go.
- Allow people to make mistakes. Going too fast on the highway and cutting you off is not safe. Not even if the driver is legitimately experiencing an emergency. But people make mistakes and occasionally have poor judgement. You never know a person’s story. So just let it go.
The ability to let it go is imperative for any advanced martial artist. What would happen if martial arts schools taught students to react rather than act? Many times the action is to walk away, or let it go. None of that happens overnight though. Whether it’s martial arts training, or learning to let it go, if you want to be good at it you have to practice. No magic, just practice.