โLetting go isnโt a sign of weakness; itโs a sign of strength.โ
I have news for you! Yesterday, my friend Alex Blackwell of The Bridgemaker launchedย his latest book โLetting Go โ 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrenderโ
Letting go is a phrase that always gave me the shivers. Iโve experienced several instances in my life when I had a tough time finding the strength to let go โ of family, of a job, of a person I loved. While I knew it was the right thing to do, it was not easy. It never is easy. It took me all I had to have the guts to let go. I thought I couldnโt live without them, but thatโs not true. I found it within myself to move on. Eventually, I knew I did what was best.
So, back in January this year, when Alex invited his community to share their own experience of letting go, I considered it a privilege. I am so thrilled that mine is one of the 25 stories featured in this wonderfully inspiring book. It is true what they say โ we take courage from what others go through because it encourages us to be strong, reassuring us that we are not alone.
Today, I am happy to share an excerpt of my conversation with Alex about the book.
Letting Go โ 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender
Welcome, Alex!ย I am so happy to have you here again. Congratulations on the launch of your latest book โLetting Goโ.ย
Thank you, Vidya.
What inspired this book, Alex?
10 years ago it was clear that I had to let go of fear, shame and guilt if my marriage was going to survive.
For the first 18 years of my marriage, I was insecure, thinking that my wife, Mary Beth, was going to leave me. My obsession put pressure on her to tell me constantly, and show me, that she loved me.
My insecurities were born back in my childhood. As a child of an alcohol parent, I thought I was the reason my mother drank โ I thought it was my fault and I thought it was impossible to be loved authentically and unconditionally.
To save my marriage, I had to start learning to let go of these negative attachments and embrace the life in front of me. By letting go of the pain, shame and guilt a little at a time, Mary Beth started seeing the positive changes in me.
Last June, we celebrated our 28th anniversary. Weโve never been happier โ Iโve never been happier.
So, the inspiration behind this book is to celebrate the amazing and life-changing gifts that letting go provides.
Thank you for sharing so much of yourself, Alex! Who should read the book?
25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender is for anyone who wants to put a painful memory or experience in the past. Itโs also for people who are holding on too tightly to their children, even though it may be time to let them go.
The book doesnโt offer a formula or guide for letting go, it just offers the inspiration and encouragement needed to begin the process.
I also think there is value in reading about the experience of others so you wonโt feel alone with how your experiences. The stories in the book will elicit an emotional response because each one is filled with honesty, truth and hope.
Now here is a question everything will want to ask: How is your book different from the thousands of other self-help books on the market?
As I mentioned earlier, this book isnโt intended to be a how-to guide or a self-help manual full of obvious advice, itโs a transparent, and sometimes raw, look at real-life experiences that have nudged people to let go of negative attachments that were no longer serving them.
I think thereโs value, and a sense of connectedness when we discover that we arenโt walking alone.
I know what you mean. I personally believe that true life stories, especially of those we know, give us strength.ย What is next for you, Alex? Are you working on your next book?
I will continue learning how to let go of the things that keep me from enjoying life to the fullest. Itโs a daily choice to do this. Some days I stumble and hold on to the garage a little too tight; and on some days I throw it as far away from me as I can, but on all days I attempt to move forward with dignity, self-respect and lots of hope.
I will also continue to share inspiration at my blog, The BridgeMaker.
As far as my next book? It will be fiction, a novel, but a novel with message that is rooted in the themes that most important to me like forgiveness, seeking positive change and of course, letting go.
Thank you, Alex!
Alex Blackwell is the Founder of The BridgeMaker and the author of Saying Yes to Change: 10 Timeless Life Lessons for Creating Positive Change. His latest book โLetting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrenderโ is available on Amazon.
Visit Alexโs blog, The BridgeMaker
Connect with Alex on Facebook. ย
Dear Readers, here is more info about the book:
Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender offers 25 heartfelt stories from people just like you and me. These stories provide a properly-sized window into their lives and give the encouragement to let go and finally move on. The stories are categorized into five parts:
Letting Go of Relationships
Letting Go of Emotional Attachments
Letting Go of the Past
Letting Go of Fear
Letting Go of our Children
Each true story will help you remember that youโre not alone on your journey and that letting go is about having the faith to offer up your struggles and then getting out of the way so your beautiful life can be revealed.
When you order a copy of Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender, you will receive instant access to the Peace and Balance Bonus pack which includes 10 digital resources valued at more than $200 โ as a free gift with your purchase. To read an excerpt from the book and for more details about the fabulous bonuses youโll get with the book, please visit Alexโs site.
Question for you
Has there been a time in your life when letting go was the only choice, but turned out to be the best decision you made?
Care to share?
email me at vidya at vidyasury dot com
Let me know if you would like me to share it in a post.
With love,
Vidya
26 comments
Vidya,
Thanks so much for sharing your blog, and your wonderful readers, by getting the word out about my new book. I hope everyone enjoys it!
Alex
P.S. Dear Readers: Vidya’s chapter is moving and inspirational – it will be one of your favorite true stories!
What a wonderful thing to say Alex! ๐ Thank you for being here, and for the book! I know that everyone who reads it is going to love it!
This book sounds amazing! Thanks so much for sharing it and this interview with us!
p.s. Your blog is amazing. I kind of stumbled here from a link on Vanita’s blog. So happy I found you! I look forward to reading more!
Welcome, Jessica! ๐ You just made my day! Heading over to your place now! ๐
Letting go is one of the hardest things to do – my son recently started college and moved to the dorms on campus. I was so sad at the thought of not seeing him every day even though he is only 15 miles away! It is the best thing for him because he is in his element and experiencing life on his own as a young adult. I still really miss him but that makes the few visits I have with him that much sweeter! (15 miles away and I still hardly see him!! LOL!)
Cher @ Designs by Studio C recently posted…Replacing an Exterior Door
Amazing, Vidya. good going and wishing you many more.
This is a very nice interview, very inspiring. Thanks ๐
Kajal Kapur recently posted…Hit Machine: Shreya-Sunidhi Duets
“Letting go”, “Being detached”, and other such mantras are very easily said, but not so easily done. Hopefully, “25 Stories ..” will show readers what it takes to genuinely let go!
Proactive Indian recently posted…Corruption of the people, by the people, for the people!
Yes, it is not just hard…it takes guts and extreme resolve. And it never feels good right away. So much work involved in moving on. Who enjoys letting go? But when the option is let go, or be dragged, one has to choose the lesser of the two evils.
It is a beautiful book, Pro. I can vouch for 24 stories. The 25th…I’ll have to rely on readers to see what they think ๐
Thank you for visiting and commenting.
Vidya Sury recently posted…Wabi Sabi – Celebrating Imperfection
Yes Vidya, there has been quite a few things that haunt me. And when I say things I don’t usually mean incidents, a lot of emotions or feelings that have resonated at various times in my life have become a constant companion. And it is very ironical that the worst has been my compulsive disorder to not let go. So I would in fact need to let go of the tendency to never let go… Perhaps one of the facets of being a control freak…
First of all congratulations to you, Vidya, for being a part of this. And Alex, I’m sure, that your authenticity will shine through in this book!
Yes, I’ve had several times, when I’ve had to let go of people and things that I’ve wanted and couldn’t seem to hold on to – when I truly let them go, it freed up a lot of space within me to be and do better!
Thanks for this both of you! You rock!
Corinne Rodrigues recently posted…Finding Colour In The Clouds
Corinne, a big heart-felt thanks to you. You’ve been one of my biggest encouragers over the years we’ve known each other. I am so very excited about this book! ๐ Hugs! Such a great initiative by Alex – nothing like true stories to touch the heart where it matters the most.
Vidya Sury recently posted…Wabi Sabi – Celebrating Imperfection
Yeah letting go is the hardest part. I had my share of it too… esp with people and the emotions attached… but after the letting go part everything feels so light.
A big congrats on this achievement of yours. ๐
Sheethal recently posted…Lost in two worlds.
Congrats Vidya and all the best Alex. You know every moment of every day I have learned to let go. It’s not just letting go of the big things in life but it’s the cumulative effect of all the little things that you learn to let go of that brings you peace.
Suzy recently posted…Que Sera Sera from a Quatrain
Wonderful! Letting go can take immense strength and tenacity. Glad you’ve shared this with us, VIdya!
Michelle Liew recently posted…Canine curiosity
Excellent Interview.
I shall pick up the book.
…because I despise “letting go.”
Love to you, my sweet Vidya. Xxxxx
My Inner Chick recently posted…Keep Holding On. Footage of Kay’s Last Days.
Hearty congratulations, Vidya!
This is a book, that I would definitely read! Letting go is though very difficult to do initially, but when you do it, it is so peaceful and wonderful!
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Congratulations Vidya !! I enjoyed reading the whole interview. The book seems truly inspiring and it covers important topics-letting go of fear, emotional attachments, our children etc. All the best and I’m sure you would receive an amazing response.
Congrats Vidyaji . This books looks to be a wonderful book.
Letting go is not a sign of weakness but of the biggest strength and endurance. Its not easy to let go a job, a person etc but shedding negatives emotions like hate redness, a grudge , an ill-feeling are really very very very difficult and I am still Work-in Progress.
After years of trying to have a good relationship with my sister I had to just let it go and move on realizing that it just was never to be. We are too different and she has too much hatred bottled up. I found I couldn’t go forward with all that hatred and negativity. I had to let it go and rid myself of the drama that always swirled around her. Sounds like a great book~! โฅ
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Hi Vidya,
Lovely post ,and let me congratulate you for being published in Alex’s book.It’s so inspiring to know this!!
Well about letting go i feel that it is deeply linked to problems.And detachment from them at the correct juncture in life is an art.
Every human being who visits planet Earth will have the frequent privilege of meeting His Majesty โThe Problemโ.
Essentially, this great entity comes in your life to empower you.A problem is the wrapping around opportunities,for those who can see,for those who choose to be empowered.For most others, itโs a source of avoidable pain.Yet the greatest and the most eminent in the human race have often made it big despite, and because of their problems.
That’s because they were led to detach themselves from the all consumptive urge to remain obsessed with the problem.And when they detached themselves for an instant they were released from the pain-conflict,often releasing a fresh creative force in the bargain.
Thanks and congrats again!
Mona
richmiraclefiles recently posted…Happiness Is How You Feel
Intuitively, I always believed in the power of letting go, but I was never sure, how to actually “Let Go”. I’m a regular reader of TheBridgeMakeer – what a fantastic blog – and I’ll definitely check out this book.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
Robert recently posted…How To Develop Laser-Like Focus And Easily Achieve Your Goals
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It was in Dec’ 96 that I realized what agony really meant.
I decided to ‘let go’.
Was it empathy or was is a desperate attempt to emancipate myself from emotional bondage?
Over the years I have struggled to keep away from Maya…alas! I still continue to hallucinate.
Letting go of illusions,infatuations and the inhibitions is never easy. Yet the rewards make it worth the effort!
But, remember to do it in style… with a smile!
Ad a kid I was crazy about flying kites…the season is December to mid January. The most exciting time of the year.
Every year we followed a ritual…on the last day i.e Sankaratri we would fly our favourite kite when it was about to be dark. And then let go of the kite.
It was one way of facing the inevitable…the start of school the next day.
This ritual of letting go still takes place in my life.
Just let go with a smile….
Lovely ritual! And yes, more important when you do it with a smile, otherwise, there are only regrets and that’s not a way to live. Thank you Vinay.