Expats - Letting Go

Expats - Letting Go

In this short episode, I talk about how moving far away as an expat does not solve our painful memory problems.
The only solution for coping with our painful past involves a mechanism of letting go. 

Here is the video

A lot of men think by moving far away, living as an expat, is freedom.
Free to do whatever we wish. Leave our troubles behind.

Well, it doesn’t really work that way.
Our troubles follow us wherever we go. Our memories stay with us.
I know a lot of men who suffer from their painful past. I can relate.

There is no geographical escape route.
The only escape hatch is a mental one.

I believe real freedom comes only after we learn how to let go of our painful past.

But how do we actually let go?
It might sound easy but it’s not.
We need a mechanism, or a process of surrendering to our painful memories.

Here is another book that traveled with me from Miami Beach.
It's called Letting Go, by Dr. David Hawkins.
In the book, he explains “The mechanism of Letting Go.”

The Mechanism of Letting Go
Dr. Hawkins says letting go involves being aware of a feeling (like pain from the past).
Letting it come up, staying with it, and letting it run its course without changing it, judging it, or doing anything about it.

Then focus on letting out the energy behind that feeling.
The technique is to be with the feeling and surrender all efforts to modify it.

He adds two points:
1. When you give up resisting the feeling, you are surrendering. This causes the energy behind the feeling to dissipate.
2. When letting go, ignore all thoughts. Focus on the feeling itself.

Two points I feel strongly about:
1. I believe so much of our physical pain comes from our psychological pain.
2. Talking to friends about our troubles helps alleviate our pain. I can also relate to this.

Thank you,
Peter

Links:
Book: Letting Go, by David R. Hawkins, M.D, Ph.D.
Newsletters:
Letting go of our Past - scroll to the bottom of this newsletter
Downsizing as we age - 16 benefits of minimalism
A mental prison - escape through thought 

Here is the video

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