Remember the Beatles song, “let it be, let it be…?” I love that song because it reminds me of my mantra – “let it go.”  I Whenever I get upset about something, I try to  just let it go or  blow it off.  I take a deep breath and move on.

This is a new skill for me. I used to be horrible at executing the “let it go” mantra. I would do everything possible to hold on tight, cling, obsess and review in my mind whatever was bothering me. Letting go was furthest from my modus operandi.

But all that has changed. Life is too short to sweat the small stuff.

When I think of the concept of “let it go” I wonder if this is true for all cultures, or is just a function of the 1960’s in America and England when the Beatles music popularized the concept.

Today, some say “let go and let God.” Others say “it is what it is.” It’s a matter of acceptance. When did this all start?

The theme of letting things go –  has been around since the beginning of times. I think of the Bible and how King Saul would be depressed, and King  David played his harp for him. Ahhhh. Music therapy par excellence.

When things get tough in my life – as a mother, wife, grandmother, daughter, sister-in-law, friend,  sister, music therapist, writer, community member — I tell myself the following:

“This is exactly what God wants me to be experiencing right now. He knows what is best for me. Although I will continue to do my best to change the reality or improve it, I am limited. It’s in God’s power, and not mine.”

When I say that, I have a sense of peace and calm within me. It helps me, and maybe it can help you. It takes practice and as I said above, I could not do this in earlier years, when I was less mature, and  every small or large event in my life was blown up to gigantic proportions.

No more. Now it’s  let it be. Let it go. Life’s too short.

Smile more and worry less. That is my mantra. It’s not easy to implement, but when I do, I know it works.