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Life is all about highs and lows, and those we carry with us compound each moment. If we dwell on past memories, we miss opportunities to create new ones. It’s okay to feel good about our positive and happy memories, but those sad moments can almost crush us, making every day feel like an eternity.
Deep down, we know that one day everything will change, and the sorrows of today will not hurt our hearts in the future. If that’s the case, why should we let it hurt us now?
Here comes the act of letting go. It may sound challenging at first to release those memories we believe were what we wanted, along with the pain of failure, loss, betrayal, and more, but what can we do about the past? We can only remember it; we can’t change it. Therefore, we should take our first step toward letting go, which may seem passive, yet it is one of the most courageous active processes we can undertake.
Whether it involves shedding the heavy cloak of the past, the ghost of a love that has ended, the grip of a toxic relationship, or simply an outdated version of ourselves, the act of letting go is a journey of introspection, acceptance, and often a quiet ache, leading to profound liberation and new beginnings.
The journey of self-recovery can be less painful and easier if we find a gentle guide, a source of solace, and a reminder that we are not alone in this essential human experience. What could be better than wise words from those who have already navigated such a journey, making life even more beautiful afterward?
Perhaps these words, in the form of letting go of the past quotes, help you find the strength to release what no longer serves you and step into a lighter, more authentic future.
* Credit: All image backgrounds are from Canva.
Quotes on Moving On & Letting Go of the Past
1. “You don’t have to let that one thing be the thing that defines you.” – Jojo Moyes, After You
2. “The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence; let it teach you, not trap you.” – Unknown
3. “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” – Steve Maraboli
4. “We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
5. “Life moves on, and so should we.” – Spencer Johnson
6. “Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” – Steve Maraboli
7. “You don’t have to burn the book of your past; just stop rereading it.” – Reddit r/SelfImprovement
8. “Letting go doesn’t mean that you aren’t concerned about someone anymore. It’s just realizing that the only person you really have control over is yourself.” – Deborah Reber
9. “It hurts to let go, but sometimes it hurts more to hold on.” – Unknown
10. “Sometimes you have to accept the truth and stop wasting time on the wrong people.” – Unknown
11. “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu
Power of Letting Go | Healing and Moving Forward
1. “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” – Hermann Hesse
2. “Incredible change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t.” – Steve Maraboli
3. “Grief is not a disorder, a disease, or a sign of weakness. It is an emotional, physical, and spiritual necessity, the price you pay for love. The only cure for grief is to grieve.” – Earl Grollman
4. “Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.” – Nicole Sobon
5. “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts
6. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.” – Lao Tzu
7. “The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” – Steve Maraboli
8. “Pain will leave you when you let go.” – Jeremy Aldana (Often attributed, a simple but profound truth)
9. “If you want to fly in the sky, you need to leave the earth. If you want to move forward, you need to let go of the past that drags you down.” – Amit Ray
10. “To let go of the past is to embrace the present with open hands and a free heart.” – Inspired by a sentiment from “The Untethered Soul” by Michael A. Singer (2007)
11. “The past is a shadow; it follows you, but it doesn’t have to define your light.” – Threads, @MindfulMoments
12. “Letting go is not the end of the story; it’s the courage to write a new chapter.” – Glennon Doyle, “Love Warrior” (2016)
13. “Moving on doesn’t mean forgetting; it means choosing to carry hope instead of hurt.” – Instagram, @HealingHearts
14. “Every step forward is a declaration that you’re done carrying what no longer belongs to you.” –X, @GrowWithGrace
15. “The future is waiting for you to release the anchor of yesterday.” – Inspired by a line from “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho (1988)
16. “To let go of love is to trust that your heart will find its way to a softer shore.” – Unknown
17. “Love doesn’t leave when you let go; it transforms into a lesson that makes you stronger.” – Inspired by “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert (2006)
18. “Sometimes love means letting go when holding on hurts more than it heals.” – Reddit r/BreakUps
19. “A broken heart is an open heart, ready to love again when it’s time.” – Instagram @PoetryForTheSoul
20. “Letting go of toxic people is like opening a window to let fresh air into your soul.” – John Mark Green
21. “You don’t owe anyone your peace; let go of those who steal it.” – Threads, @EmpowerYourself
22. “Releasing a toxic relationship is not defeat; it’s a victory for your self-worth.” – Unknown
23. “The strongest boundaries are built when you let go of those who don’t respect them.” – Inspired by “Women Who Run With the Wolves” by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (1992)
24. “Let go, and let life surprise you.” – Instagram, @DailyZen
25. “Freedom is found in the release.” – Pema Chödrön, “When Things Fall Apart” (1996)
26. “Surrender the weight, embrace the light.” – X, @InnerPeaceVibes
27. “Letting go is loving yourself enough to move on.” –Reddit, r/Mindfulness
Wisdom in Letting Go of the Past
1. “You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” – Michael McMillan
2. “The past has no power over the present moment.” – Eckhart Tolle
3. “Forgiveness means letting go of the past.” – Gerald Jampolsky
4. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha
5. “Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything—anger, anxiety, or possessions—we cannot be free.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Insightful Moving On and Letting Go Quotes
1. “Letting go means coming to the realization that some people are a part of your history but not a part of your destiny.” – Steve Maraboli
2. “It’s hard to be clear about who you are when you are carrying around a bunch of baggage from the past. I’ve learned to carry less and less.” – Oprah Winfrey
3. “The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back. Simply forget the past and forge toward the future.” – Alyson Noel
4. “You will find that it is necessary to let things go simply for the reason that they are heavy.” – C. JoyBell C.
5. “The great courageous act that we must all do is to have the courage to step out of our history and past so that we can live our dreams.” – Oprah Winfrey
Healing a Broken Heart | Love and Letting Go Quotes
1. “The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.” – John Green, The Fault in Our Stars
2. “Sometimes it takes a heartbreak to shake us awake & help us see we are worth so much more than we’re settling for.” – Mandy Hale
3. “You can love them, forgive them, want good things for them… but still move on without them.” – Mandy Hale
4. “Perhaps someday I’ll crawl back home, beaten, defeated. But not as long as I can make stories out of my heartbreak, beauty out of sorrow.” – Sylvia Plath
5. “The heart will break, but broken live on.” – Lord Byron
Reclaiming Your Peace: Toxic Relationship Letting Go Quotes
1. “You don’t let go of a bad relationship because you stop caring about them. You let go because you start caring about yourself.” – Charles Orlando
2. “The moment you start to wonder if you deserve better, you do.” – Unknown
3. “Letting go of toxic people in your life is a big step in loving yourself.” – Hussein Nishah
4. “As you remove toxic people from your life, you free up space and emotional energy for positive, healthy relationships.” – John Mark Green
5. “Don’t let toxic people rent space in your head. Raise the rent and kick them out.” – Robert Tew
Short Letting Go Quotes to Carry With You
1. “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” – Oprah Winfrey
2. “Let go or be dragged.” – Zen Proverb
3. “Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be.” – Sonia Ricotti
4. “The art of letting go is simply about love. Love for yourself.” – Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go
5. “Release the story.” – Pema Chödrön
6. “Just let go.” – The simplest, yet often hardest, advice
These quotes serve as beacons, illuminating the path of letting go, but remember that reading them is just the beginning. The real work lies in the daily practice of release, in extending compassion to ourselves, allowing time for emotions to flow, and sometimes, seeking support from others.
Letting go is not a singular event but an ongoing process of choosing peace, freedom, and forward motion, one breath at a time. The journey of letting go, while often challenging, ultimately leads to profound freedom. It’s about creating space within ourselves for new experiences, new joys, and a deeper understanding of our own resilience.
As you release the old, you make room for new light to enter. Trust in your ability to heal and grow.
