Article image

11 Quotes on the Power of Letting Go

Sometimes the hardest thing in life is letting go of what’s holding you back. It could be a painful situation you have to overcome, the loss of someone you love, the consequences of a poor choice, a deflating job, or even just a negative mindset you can’t shake. We can get stuck in a holding pattern where we focus on the things that we struggle with, and wind up in a cycle of stress, frustration, and sadness.

But there’s good news: Once you let go of whatever hurt, anger, or regret you’re holding on to, you’re able to move forward freely. You have the ability to start out on a new path, unencumbered by the weight of what you’ve left behind. If you’re standing on the precipice of that new start, these 11 quotes will inspire you to let go, and move forward.

Forgiveness is a reflection of loving yourself enough to move on.
Steve Maraboli

Share Quote

You only struggle because you're ready to grow but aren't willing to let go.
Drew Gerald

Share Quote

Forgiveness is just another name for freedom.
Byron Katie

Share Quote

Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be a prisoner of the past or a pioneer of the future. The past is closed and limited; the future is open and free.
Deepak Chopra

Share Quote

The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.
Steve Maraboli

Share Quote

To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.
Gerald G. Jampolsky

Share Quote

You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending.
James R. Sherman

Share Quote

A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.
John A. Shedd

Share Quote

Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.
Martin Luther King Jr.

Share Quote

You have two choices: to control your mind or to let your mind control you.
Paulo Coelho

Share Quote

What we find in life is based on where we put our attention. When we focus on the small worlds our thoughts create, we miss out on the beauty and possibilities we are meant to enjoy.
Guy Finley

Share Quote

Featured image credit: Obradovic/ iStock

Author image
About the Author
Jennifer Billock
Jennifer is a writer, traveler, witch, and unapologetic Chicagoan. @jenniferbillock
Play more header background
Play more icon
Daily Question
Fill in the blank: "It’s better to look ahead and ___, than to look back and regret." - Jackie Joyner-Kersee

More Inspiration

happiness theme icon

Love is something that if you give it away, you end up having more.

separator icon
Malvina Reynolds
motivation theme icon

You know the greatest thing is passion, without it what have you got?

separator icon
Diana Vreeland
hope theme icon

If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out.

separator icon
Stephen Hawking
love theme icon

The first time you do something only happens once.

separator icon
Chris Burden
wisdom theme icon

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.

separator icon
Oscar Wilde
happiness theme icon

Life is not meant to be easy, my child; but take courage: it can be delightful.

separator icon
George Bernard Shaw
motivation theme icon

I'm an idealist. I don't know where I'm going, but I'm on my way.

separator icon
Carl Sandburg
hope theme icon

What a lovely surprise to finally discover how unlonely being alone can be.

separator icon
Ellen Burstyn
love theme icon

Our real blessings often appear to us in the shape of pains, losses, and disappointments.

separator icon
Joseph Addison
wisdom theme icon

Words are the clothing of our thoughts.

separator icon
Jonathan Swift
happiness theme icon

In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.

separator icon
Alex Haley