People are afraid of change. This fear of change prevents us from letting go of the old and bringing in the new. But sometimes in order to achieve and receive better things in your life, you have to be willing to move on from the way things are.
To dive deeper into the meaning of this quote, let’s take a look at the meaning of attachment, the things we attach ourselves to, and how to let go of our attachments to get what we deserve.
What is “Attachment”?
“Attachment” is an emotional dependence on something in your life. As humans, we tend to value the things we own or have more than the things that we do not. We form an emotional connection with the people, things, thoughts, and situations in our lives, and we have a difficult time breaking that connection.
Attachments can be positive or negative, but regardless, attachments can prevent us from getting what we want out of life.
What Do We Attach Ourselves to?
People
People are social creatures. We depend on other people to get our basic needs met and to act as our support system. We form attachments to our parents, friends, romantic partners, coworkers, academic peers, etc.
However, we all form an attachment to the wrong person at some point. For example, we develop a friendship that turns sour, or we have a girlfriend or boyfriend that treats us poorly. Despite these attachments being negative, we still hold onto them because of our emotional dependence.
Things
We also attach ourselves to objects and possessions. We attach emotion to these objects when we receive them from someone we care about or when we have or use the objects during important life events.
In our consumerist culture, we tend to hold onto items we no longer need for a very long period of time due to this emotional connection.
Thoughts
In addition, we can become attached to our thoughts or ways of thinking. We might have certain beliefs about ourselves or beliefs about the world that aren’t beneficial to us, but we hold onto them anyway and allow them to prevent us from being our best.
Situations
Lastly, we attach ourselves to situations in life including our job, our living situation, and our daily routine. These attachments can be difficult to break because they are such a significant part of our lives.
How Can We Let Go of our Attachments to Live a Better Life?
All these types of attachments can hold us back from greatness. Holding onto your current job may keep you from seeking better opportunities. Holding onto a negative relationship can keep you from finding someone who will treat you better. Holding onto all your grandma’s possessions may clutter your space and make your life more difficult.
It is important to find ways to let go of our negative attachments. Here are three ways you can start.
Become Your Own Best Friend
As explained above, an attachment is an emotional dependency. By becoming your own best friend, you become more independent from the people, things, or situations you’ve been relying on.
Imagine Life Without That Attachment
Sometimes we hold onto an attachment because we can’t imagine life without it. Take time out of your day to imagine what life would be like if you let go of your attachment. You will often find that you’ll see an improved version of your life.
Live Out Your Desires
Push your attachments to the side and start working towards what you want. Live as though you have nothing and no one holding you back.
