If You Can’t Let It Go, Let It Be

I came across a quote recently that has lingered with me in a way few words do:

“If you can’t let it go, let it be.”

At first glance, it seems simple, almost like something you might scroll past without much thought. But when I read it, something in me paused. I sat with it, turning it over, letting it echo in places I didn’t expect. For the past few days, this phrase has been quietly accompanying me, asking me to explore what it really means to let it be.

The Pressure to “Let Go”

We’ve all heard the advice: just let it go. It’s meant to be freeing, but if we’re honest, it can often feel like another burden.

Letting go sounds like a switch we’re supposed to flip—release the memory, the hurt, the regret, the person, the expectation—and instantly feel lighter. But healing doesn’t usually happen on command. Our emotions don’t obey deadlines. And sometimes the harder we try to let go, the tighter we find ourselves gripping.

There’s a subtle shame that comes with this struggle: Why can’t I move on? Why is this still bothering me? Shouldn’t I be past this by now?

That’s why the alternative—let it be—feels so radical. It doesn’t demand action. It doesn’t require perfection. It simply invites presence.

What It Means to “Let It Be”

Letting something be doesn’t mean condoning it, agreeing with it, or even liking it. It means making space for what is real in this moment.

• If the memory still hurts, let it be.

• If forgiveness feels too far away, let it be.

• If your heart feels heavy, let it be.

To let something be is to acknowledge that it exists without forcing yourself into premature closure. It’s an act of gentle acceptance, not of the event itself, but of your own humanity.

Instead of trying to push feelings away, we can allow them to sit beside us—like guests we don’t fully understand but are willing to welcome.

The Difference Between Stuck and Still

There’s a big difference between being stuck in something and being still with it.

When we’re stuck, we’re tangled in resistance—ruminating, replaying, fighting, judging. Stillness, on the other hand, is a soft surrender. It’s choosing to rest with the discomfort instead of wrestling it.

“Let it be” calls us into that stillness. It reminds us that life is not a problem to be solved but an experience to be witnessed.

The Wisdom of Time

Sometimes, what we can’t release today, time will loosen tomorrow. By letting it be, we give ourselves permission to heal at our own pace.

Think of a wound: if we pick at it, impatient for it to close, we only prolong the pain. But if we care for it and leave it alone, it slowly mends in its own rhythm. Our inner wounds ask for the same tenderness.

A Practice of Compassion

Since sitting with this quote, I’ve been experimenting with shifting my language.

Instead of saying, I have to let this go, I whisper, I’m letting this be.

This small change opens space for compassion. It allows me to be both in process and at peace. It doesn’t mean I’ll carry this weight forever—it simply means I don’t have to force myself into release before I’m ready.

A Gentle Meditation on “Let It Be”

If you’d like to explore this practice for yourself, here’s a short meditation you can try:

1. Find your seat. Sit somewhere comfortable, with your spine tall but relaxed. Close your eyes or soften your gaze.

2. Breathe. Take three slow, steady breaths—inhaling through the nose, exhaling through the mouth.

3. Bring it to mind. Call to your awareness something you’ve been struggling to let go of. It could be big or small. Just notice it without judgment.

4. Whisper inwardly. Say to yourself: “I don’t have to let this go. I can let it be.”

5. Rest in presence. Imagine placing the thought, feeling, or memory gently beside you—like setting down a stone. It’s still there, but it’s not in your hands.

6. Return to breath. Allow your inhale and exhale to guide you back to the present moment. Let your body soften into stillness.

7. Close gently. When you’re ready, place a hand over your heart and thank yourself for showing up with compassion.

Take this meditation with you whenever you feel pressured to “move on” before you’re ready. Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is to simply let what is…be.

These are my reflections as of late, shaped by sitting with this phrase and letting it stir something deeper in me. My hope is that in these words, you find your own space of gentleness too.

Always in gratitude and a little magic,

Jonencia