How Many Times Have You Had to Let Go?

Think of the moments you’ve had to let go—voluntarily or not.
A person. A pet. A job. A dream. A version of yourself.

Loss is part of life, and yet, letting go never seems to get easier.
Take a moment: can you recall your most recent experience of loss?
What did it feel like?

Whether it’s a breakup, the passing of a loved one, a shift in career, or something as small as a childhood pet—you may notice a pattern in how you deal with it.

A Lesson from a Small Loss

Recently, my niece lost her hamster. For her, this was the first tangible experience of loss within her household.

She has a few choices:

  • She can cling to the memory and wish it never happened

  • She can mourn, accept the loss, and move forward

  • Or she can suppress her feelings and pretend the hamster never existed

And that third option? It’s the most dangerous. Because what’s suppressed doesn’t disappear. It resurfaces—often disguised as something else, in moments we least expect.

As Adults, We Do the Same

Clinging isn’t just about pets or relationships.
It’s about the emotional patterns beneath them.

  • Maybe you cling to people because you fear abandonment

  • Or hold tightly to a job title because it validates your worth

  • You might rush to replace loss because you can’t tolerate emptiness

The cling itself is not the problem. It’s a symptom.
What’s underneath?

A Few Questions to Ask Yourself

  • What am I clinging to right now?

  • What deeper wound might be fueling this attachment?

  • Am I looking outward for something I need to cultivate within?

  • What memory or emotion needs my attention and compassion?

Letting Go Is Not Abandonment—It’s a Return

When you begin to recognize your attachments with curiosity—not shame—you begin the process of release.

Letting go doesn’t mean you stop loving or caring.
It means you stop outsourcing your wholeness.
You return home to yourself.

And from there, you realize:

You are enough.
You are worthy of joy.
And capable of holding yourself through loss—and still choosing love.

Other Reads

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About mindfulness on this link.

Learn more about healing your inner child on this link.

External Resources:

Zen & Engaged Buddhism:

Plum Village 

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