How To Let Go Of A Dream To Open Space For Something New
You have a dream that used to mean everything to you, but now it's no longer aligned with who you are and where you're going.
There are countless books on how to go after your dreams and bring them to reality, but there is far less material to help with letting a dream go. There may come a time where deep down you know it's time to let a dream you once cherished go. Despite your internal knowing, feelings of guilt may loom and you may feel like a failure for not 'hanging in there'. There's a high probability you'll have a hard time letting go. You'll have to learn how to move on.
In life there will be dreams that come to fruition and those that don't. Some dreams no longer resonate and therefore aren't designed to be realized. All dreams occupy energetic space. You have to let go of dreams that no longer resonate to open space for bigger, better and more aligned dreams to come in. However, deciphering when to keep pursuing a dream and when to let go is not an easy task.
Time, work, dedication, commitment and focus go into the action steps required to bring a dream to reality. After giving so much to a vision it's only natural a strong attachment exists. The attachment is what keeps you spinning your wheels on a dream you should have let die out some time ago.
You have to decipher when to keep pursuing a dream and when to let go.
How do you do that? Here are three quick steps to get help:
- Separate yourself from the dream.
You have to let go of the emotional attachment to objectively look at the viability of the dream and to accurately assess the impact it's having on your life. This step takes time. There's no easy way to let go of your emotional attachment to something you've invested time, energy and resources into; but it's necessary for an accurate assessment.
- Not achieving a dream does not make you a failure.
Sometimes people hold on to a dream because they feel like letting it go means they've failed. Letting go of a dream is a choice that you make. Choosing to let go of a dream whose time has come is not failing; it takes a great deal of courage to let go.
- Pick a date to let go and stick to it.
Because of the attachment involved pick a date to have all loose ends tied off and completed. Picking a date allows your mind time to settle into the idea of letting go, which allows time to mourn the loss. Picking a date also provides you with a set timeframe to complete the outstanding tasks that need to be done and gives you a date to move on. You'll have to be committed to the date because your sentimental feelings will get in the way; your mind will work to convince you to hold on.
These steps aren't all-inclusive, but they're a great start. There are times that the only way to step into your future is by releasing what no longer serves you from the past. While difficult, letting go of a dream no longer in alignment opens the door for something new and exciting to come through.
