Let it go What do you do when someone cuts you off on the freeway ? How do you react when you receive an inflammatory email ? What do you do when someone is rude to you ? Are you quick to take offense, anxious to get even, eager to teach the person a lesson ? When someone is riding on your bumper in heavy traffic, do you pull over and let them pass, then catch up to them and ride their bumper for a while, just to "let them see how it feels"? I admit that I've done this little routine several times. Then I realized something: this kind of behavior was accomplishing absolutely nothing for me. Over time, I've learned the power of "letting it go." The admonition in the Bible to "turn the other cheek" is not just a weak and wimpy way out of a situation. It is a powerful strategy that always prevails in the end. If you react to what someone else does, it doesn't matter what your reaction is -- that person controls you. In fact, the weak response is to lash out at someone. The strong response is to continue on the path you set for yourself, rather than be deterred by the actions of someone else. This is not to say that you should sit back and take abuse from others. If someone has it in for you, by all means get out of the way. Don't waste a lot of time plotting revenge, though. It is an enormous waste. Think for a moment. What good is it going to do you to get all upset about someone who cuts you off on the freeway? When something like this happens, you actually have a choice. You can either let it consume you, and set a negative tone for the whole day, or you can let it go, and move on to more important concerns. Closely related to reaction is blame. Blame is a trap that many people fall into. Trying to assign and publicize blame for situations and events is fruitless. It really doesn't matter who is to blame, because there's nothing you can do about it. Knowing who to blame does not change the situation. Don't waste your time figuring out who is responsible for a bad situation. Instead, spend your efforts to determine who is best equipped to get you out of the situation. Taking offense and dwelling on blame get you high blood pressure, wasted time, lots of enemies, and negative energy. Forgiving and forgetting get you peace of mind, friends, and a positive outlook, not to mention an enormous amount of time available for productive pursuits. Challenge yourself today to try and let things go. Watch your reactions, and don't let people or situations exert their control over you. Know your own path, and follow it confidently. That will make it difficult for anyone to dislodge you from it. -- Ralph Marston