"
When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us." - Helen Keller
When you have invested your time, energy, and emotions into something - whether that be a career pursuit, a relationship, a lifestyle choice... it can become hard to let go.
You get the overwhelming feeling that it will "all go to waste", and maybe you should "just see it through" or "give it one more try".
I am a big believer in finishing what you start, and having the conviction to see through commitments. But I'm an even bigger believer in cutting ties from what's no longer serving you.
Here it's important to distinguish the difference between quitting and letting go.
There are two ways I like to look at this, practically, and in the more spiritual sense (nothing mumbo jumbo, stay with me).
Practically, you have to remove the emotion from the situation and ask yourself the simple question, "Is this still serving me?".
Pretend that you hadn't invested all that you had... if you had a clean slate, would that direction still be the best choice?
In the more spiritual sense, I like to look at the signs - or the breadcrumbs - that are being laid out in front of you.
Are you consistently met with barriers and obstructions, no matter how hard you push yourself or seek opportunities?
And now not everyone likes to think like this, but I often question "Is something pulling me back from doing this?" or, "Is someone trying to tell me something?".
I don't often use this viewpoint in this newsletter, but it's a viewpoint that's worth sharing and considering.
Know the difference between quitting and letting go, and seek what serves you - emotion and past investment aside.