Life Step 3: Letting Go

Megan Cerney, LCSW/LISW
2 days ago
2 min read

Pop art illustration of colorful stairs with halftone dots in yellow, teal, red, and navy. The bold title reads “Life Step 1: Acceptance,” with a white speech bubble that says “Breathe…” and a navy footer bar that reads “Together From Afar | The 12 Life Steps.”

Release it!

“Sometimes freedom is in the unclenching.”

Why Letting Go Matters

Letting go is one of the hardest forms of growth because it asks us to loosen our grip on things that once felt essential—control, old stories, expectations, habits, relationships, versions of ourselves.

Imagine holding onto a rope that’s pulling away from you. The tighter you grip, the more it burns. Letting go isn’t about being careless—it’s about recognizing when holding on is hurting you more than releasing would.

Letting go often means:

Releasing what isn’t working
Loosening old identities
Unlearning patterns that once protected you
Allowing space for something new to arrive

It’s clearing emotional clutter so you can breathe again.

Letting go doesn’t mean you stop caring. It means you stop carrying what isn’t yours or what no longer fits.

How Letting Go Supports Mental Health

Reduces emotional overwhelm by releasing what you can’t control
Builds resilience by making room for healthier coping
Improves relationships by loosening expectations and resentment
Creates emotional spaciousness for new experiences, people, and perspectives

Letting go is an active choice—one that creates lightness, clarity, and the ability to move forward instead of staying stuck.

Reflection Corner

What is one thing I’ve been gripping tightly that is no longer serving me?
What would life feel like if I loosened my hold on this—just a little?
What emotions come up when I imagine releasing it?
What might letting go make possible for me?

Small Practice

Choose one small thing to release today. It could be:

A stressful thought you keep replaying
An expectation you’ve placed on yourself
A resentment you’ve been carrying
A routine that no longer supports you

Write it down on a sheet of paper.

Then—physically—let it go.

Crumple it. Tear it. Recycle it.

Let the action symbolize the emotional release.

Notice what softens within you.

Looking Ahead

Once we release what weighs us down, we create space for clearer self-awareness and deeper honesty. That’s exactly where the next step leads: Self-Reflection.

Up next: Life Step 4: Self-Reflection

Last tidbit :)

Letting go like each step is difficult. The life you are creating takes time but sifting through the rubble and choosing to let go is a worthy choice.

Your Therapist,

- Megan Cerney, LCSW