ELI5: how to let go

What does it mean to let go?

Letting go means deciding to stop holding onto something that's making you feel sad or worried—like when you're upset about something that already happened and you decide to think about something happier instead. [2] It's like when you squeeze a toy really tight and then relax your hand and let it go. [1]

Why is it hard to let go?

Our brain likes to keep thinking about things that upset us, even when thinking about them doesn't help us feel better. [2] Sometimes we think that if we stop worrying or thinking about something bad, we're giving up or being bad, but that's not true. [4]

What's the trick to actually doing it?

You can practice letting go like you practice any skill—a little bit every day helps your brain get better at it. [3] You can also just stop fighting what happened and accept that you can't change the past, which is like finally putting down something heavy you've been carrying. [5]

Does it really work?

Yes! When you stop using energy to worry about things you can't control and focus on things you CAN control instead, you feel way better. [2]