When we make the decision to reinvent ourselves, the hardest part is usually letting go of the old to embrace the new. Letting go does not necessarily mean burning to ashes the image you’ve built over the years. In most cases, it means fleeing away from the expectations others have set for you; learning to disallow others to live vicariously through you at the cost of your sanity; alienating the overwhelming need for approval on the choices you make.
One of my favorite stories in the Book of Genesis is about the wife of Lot (unnamed). In this story, two visiting angels urged Lot and his family to flee Sodom to avoid being caught in the impeding disaster due to the iniquity of the city. The only rule was for them to never look back. Lo and behold, Lot’s wife simply could not let go of the past- she looked back. She turned into a pillar of salt. Similar to Lot’s wife, most of us are salty because we keep looking back while our counterparts forge ahead.
You may be working in a role you detest but cannot seem to loosen your grip. You may be building a business that fails to generate revenue regardless of the countless pivots. You may be in that “perfect relationship” yet you suffocate on more days than you breathe in the aroma of love. Across the board, what often stops us from looking forward is the deeply rooted perception we believe others have of us. We cannot let go of our mare’s nest since we fear we might be judged, or worse, written off by those we seek approval from.
But here’s the painful truth- your real loved ones care first about your well-being (let that sink in). Not about the number of times you have to let go in order to re-strategize to re-invent yourself on the plateau. Now there’s honor in letting go of what you have been committed to for weeks, months, years. Letting go allows you to evolve and jump back into the arena as a revived person. But this time around- wiser, as the lessons always translate. Always remember- tuning out the noise to tune in is the best compass you require to navigate the journey. Forge ahead.