Letting Go, A Sign of Strength

“Letting go isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.”

I have news for you! Yesterday, my friend Alex Blackwell of The Bridgemaker launched  his latest book “Letting Go – 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender”

Letting go is a phrase that always gave me the shivers. I’ve experienced several instances in my life when I had a tough time finding the strength to let go – 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 couldn’t live without them, but that’s 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 – 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 – 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender

Welcome, Alex!  I am so happy to have you here again. Congratulations on the launch of your latest book “Letting Go”. 

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 – 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. We’ve never been happier – I’ve 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. It’s also for people who are holding on too tightly to their children, even though it may be time to let them go.

The book doesn’t 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 won’t 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 isn’t intended to be a how-to guide or a self-help manual full of obvious advice, it’s 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 there’s value, and a sense of connectedness when we discover that we aren’t walking alone.

I know what you mean. I personally believe that true life stories, especially of those we know, give us strength. 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. It’s 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 “Letting Go: 25 True Stories of Peace, Hope and Surrender” is available on Amazon.

Visit Alex’s blog, The BridgeMaker

Connect with Alex on Facebook.  

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 you’re 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 – as a free gift with your purchase. To read an excerpt from the book and for more details about the fabulous bonuses you’ll get with the book, please visit Alex’s 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