Letting Go Quotes: 70 Words About Release, Forgiveness, and Peace
Find the strength to release what no longer serves you with these powerful words of wisdom.
Introduction: The Transformative Power of Letting Go
There comes a moment in everyone’s life when holding on hurts more than letting go. Maybe you are clinging to a relationship that ended long ago. Perhaps you are carrying resentment toward someone who wronged you. Or you might be gripping tightly to a version of yourself or your life that no longer exists.
Whatever you are holding onto, one truth remains constant: you cannot move forward while looking backward. You cannot embrace new beginnings while your arms are full of old endings.
Letting go is one of the most challenging things a human being can do. It requires courage, vulnerability, and a deep trust that something better awaits on the other side of release. It means accepting that some chapters must close before new ones can begin. It demands that we forgive—not because the other person deserves it, but because we deserve peace.
The good news? You do not have to figure this out alone. Throughout history, poets, philosophers, spiritual leaders, and everyday people have wrestled with the art of letting go. Their words can guide us, comfort us, and remind us that release is not giving up—it is making room for something greater.
This article brings together 70 of the most powerful quotes about letting go, release, forgiveness, and finding peace. These words come from diverse voices across time and cultures, yet they all point toward the same liberating truth: freedom lives on the other side of surrender.
Whether you are struggling to forgive someone who hurt you, release a dream that did not come true, or simply find peace in uncertain times, these quotes are here to support your journey. Read them slowly. Let them sink in. Return to the ones that speak to your heart.
Your transformation begins with a single choice: the choice to let go.
Understanding the Art of Letting Go
Before we explore the quotes themselves, let us take a moment to understand what letting go truly means—and what it does not mean.
Letting go does not mean forgetting. The experiences that shaped you, the people who touched your life, the lessons you learned through pain—these remain part of your story. Letting go simply means you stop allowing them to control your present and future.
Letting go does not mean approving of what happened. You can release resentment toward someone without excusing their behavior. Forgiveness is not saying what they did was acceptable. It is saying you refuse to carry the burden of bitterness any longer.
Letting go does not mean you stop caring. You can still love someone and accept that they are not meant to be in your life. You can still value a dream while acknowledging it was not meant for you. Release and love can coexist.
What letting go does mean is choosing peace over pain. It means prioritizing your mental health over being right. It means trusting that the universe, God, or life itself has something better in store—even when you cannot see it yet.
The journey of letting go often unfolds in stages. First comes awareness—recognizing that you are holding onto something harmful. Then comes willingness—opening your heart to the possibility of release. Finally comes action—making the daily choice to put down the burden, even when your hands instinctively want to pick it back up.
Quotes and words of wisdom serve as gentle reminders along this journey. They help us see our struggles from new perspectives. They comfort us in knowing that others have walked this path before. They inspire us to keep going when letting go feels impossible.
Now, let us explore 70 powerful quotes organized into themes that address different aspects of the letting go journey.
Quotes About Releasing the Past
The past has a way of following us into the present. Memories replay in our minds. Old wounds resurface unexpectedly. We find ourselves reliving moments that ended long ago. These quotes remind us that while we cannot change our history, we can change our relationship with it.
1. “The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realize that the situation is over, you cannot move forward.” — Steve Maraboli
2. “Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” — Daphne Rose Kingma
3. “You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” — Louise Smith
4. “The only thing a person can ever really do is keep moving forward. Take that big leap forward without hesitation, without once looking back. Simply forget the past and forge toward the future.” — Alyson Noel
5. “Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” — Lyndon B. Johnson
6. “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
7. “You don’t have to let go of the past completely. You just have to stop letting it consume you.” — Unknown
8. “The past is a place of reference, not a place of residence.” — Unknown
9. “Close some doors today. Not because of pride, incapacity, or arrogance, but simply because they lead you nowhere.” — Paulo Coelho
10. “Life moves on and so should we.” — Spencer Johnson
Quotes About Forgiveness and Healing
Forgiveness is often the most difficult aspect of letting go. How do we forgive someone who never apologized? How do we release anger that feels justified? These quotes illuminate the path of forgiveness—not as a gift to others, but as a gift to ourselves.
11. “Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a constant attitude.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
12. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.” — Lewis B. Smedes
13. “Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future.” — Paul Boese
14. “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” — Mahatma Gandhi
15. “Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it.” — Mark Twain
16. “When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.” — Catherine Ponder
17. “Anger makes you smaller, while forgiveness forces you to grow beyond what you were.” — Cherie Carter-Scott
18. “Forgiveness is a virtue of the brave.” — Indira Gandhi
19. “There is no peace without forgiveness.” — Marianne Williamson
20. “Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.” — Oprah Winfrey
21. “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemies.” — Nelson Mandela
22. “True forgiveness is when you can say, ‘Thank you for that experience.'” — Oprah Winfrey
23. “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
24. “Forgiveness is not about letting someone off the hook for their actions, but freeing ourselves of negative energies that bind us to them.” — Unknown
25. “The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of the world.” — Marianne Williamson
Quotes About Finding Inner Peace
Ultimately, the goal of letting go is peace. Not the absence of problems, but the presence of calm within the storm. These quotes point toward that serene center we all carry within us—a place of stillness that remains untouched by external chaos.
26. “Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.” — Wayne Dyer
27. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
28. “If you want peace, stop fighting. If you want peace of mind, stop fighting with your thoughts.” — Peter McWilliams
29. “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” — Buddha
30. “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” — Saint Francis de Sales
31. “You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” — Eckhart Tolle
32. “Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life around it.” — Brian Tracy
33. “Inner peace begins the moment you choose not to allow another person or event to control your emotions.” — Pema Chödrön
34. “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” — Dalai Lama
35. “Peace is not the absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” — Ronald Reagan
Quotes About Acceptance and Surrender
Sometimes letting go requires accepting what is rather than fighting against reality. These quotes explore the wisdom of surrender—not as defeat, but as alignment with life’s greater flow.
36. “Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.” — William James
37. “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” — Hermann Hesse
38. “The art of living lies less in eliminating our troubles than in growing with them.” — Bernard Baruch
39. “What we resist persists.” — Carl Jung
40. “Surrender to what is. Let go of what was. Have faith in what will be.” — Sonia Ricotti
41. “Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.” — Rumi
42. “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.” — Lao Tzu
43. “You only struggle because you’re ready to grow. You’re letting go of the old you to make room for the new you.” — Unknown
44. “Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down.” — Roy T. Bennett
45. “The moment you accept what troubles you’ve been given, the door will open.” — Rumi
Quotes About Moving Forward
Letting go creates space for forward movement. These quotes inspire us to take the next step, embrace new beginnings, and trust the journey ahead—even when we cannot see where it leads.
46. “You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could’ve, would’ve happened… or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move on.” — Tupac Shakur
47. “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” — C.S. Lewis
48. “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” — Seneca
49. “Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energies on moving forward toward finding the answer.” — Denis Waitley
50. “There are far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” — C.S. Lewis
51. “The beautiful journey of today can only begin when we learn to let go of yesterday.” — Steve Maraboli
52. “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” — Oprah Winfrey
53. “Change can be scary, but you know what’s scarier? Allowing fear to stop you from growing, evolving, and progressing.” — Mandy Hale
54. “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” — J.P. Morgan
55. “Sometimes the hardest part isn’t letting go but rather learning to start over.” — Nicole Sobon
Quotes About Self-Love and Personal Growth
Letting go often requires us to choose ourselves—our peace, our growth, our wellbeing. These quotes remind us that prioritizing our own healing is not selfish; it is necessary.
56. “Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.” — Steve Maraboli
57. “You cannot control everything that happens to you; you can only control the way you respond to what happens. In your response is your power.” — Unknown
58. “Cry. Forgive. Learn. Move on. Let your tears water the seeds of your future happiness.” — Steve Maraboli
59. “Pain will leave you, when you let go.” — Jeremy Aldana
60. “One of the happiest moments in life is when you find the courage to let go of what you cannot change.” — Unknown
61. “Growth is painful. Change is painful. But nothing is as painful as staying stuck somewhere you don’t belong.” — Mandy Hale
62. “You are allowed to let go of those who only come around when they need you.” — Unknown
63. “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are actually living.” — Rachel Marie Martin
64. “The only thing you sometimes have control over is perspective. You don’t have control over your situation. But you have a choice about how you view it.” — Chris Pine
65. “Letting go doesn’t mean giving up, but rather accepting that there are things that cannot be.” — Unknown
Quotes About Trust and Faith
Letting go requires trust—trust that something better awaits, trust in a higher plan, trust in our own resilience. These quotes speak to that faith we need when releasing control.
66. “Let go. Why do you cling to pain? There is nothing you can do about the wrongs of yesterday. It is not yours to judge. Why hold on to the very thing which keeps you from hope and love?” — Leo Buscaglia
67. “Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.” — Mandy Hale
68. “Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.” — Eckhart Tolle
69. “Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.” — Maya Angelou
70. “In the process of letting go you will lose many things from the past, but you will find yourself.” — Deepak Chopra
How to Use These Quotes in Your Daily Life
Reading quotes is one thing. Integrating their wisdom into your life is another. Here are practical ways to let these words support your letting go journey.
Create a Personal Quote Collection
As you read through these quotes, certain ones will resonate more deeply than others. Write these down in a journal or create a digital collection. When you are struggling to let go, return to these words as reminders of the path forward.
Lisa, a graphic designer from Seattle, keeps a small notebook of her favorite letting go quotes. When she feels resentment toward her ex-husband creeping back in, she opens the notebook and reads through her collection. The quotes help her remember why she chose forgiveness and peace.
Use Quotes as Daily Affirmations
Choose one quote each morning and carry it with you throughout the day. Write it on a sticky note and place it where you will see it often. Repeat it silently when you feel yourself gripping tightly to something you need to release.
Michael, a teacher from Ohio, chooses a new quote each Monday. He writes it on his classroom whiteboard, sharing the wisdom with his students while also reminding himself. This practice has helped him release perfectionism and embrace the messy, beautiful reality of teaching.
Share Quotes With Others Who Are Struggling
When someone you love is going through a difficult time, words often fail us. A carefully chosen quote can say what we cannot. Send a text with a meaningful quote. Write one in a card. The right words at the right time can provide comfort and perspective.
Amanda, a nurse from Texas, keeps a list of letting go quotes on her phone. When patients or their families are struggling with grief, acceptance, or forgiveness, she sometimes shares a quote that might help. Many have told her that a single quote shifted their perspective during their darkest moments.
Meditate on a Single Quote
Rather than rushing through all 70 quotes, try spending an entire week with just one. Read it in the morning. Reflect on it throughout the day. Journal about what it means to you before bed. This deep engagement allows the wisdom to truly sink in.
Robert, a retiree from Florida, was struggling to forgive his estranged daughter. He spent an entire month meditating on the quote about forgiveness being a gift to yourself. By the end of the month, he had found the strength to reach out to her. Their relationship is slowly healing.
Create Visual Reminders
Transform your favorite quotes into visual art. Create a phone wallpaper, a framed print for your home, or a piece of art for your office. Surrounding yourself with these reminders keeps the wisdom present in your daily environment.
Jennifer, an artist from Colorado, paints her favorite quotes on small canvases. Her home is filled with colorful reminders to let go, forgive, and find peace. Visitors often comment on how calming her space feels. The quotes contribute to that atmosphere of serenity.
Real Stories of Letting Go
Quotes provide wisdom, but real stories provide hope. Here are examples of people who found freedom through the practice of letting go.
Sarah’s Story: Releasing a Broken Relationship
Sarah spent three years waiting for her ex-boyfriend to change. Even after they broke up, she held onto hope that he would become the person she always believed he could be. She checked his social media constantly. She replayed their conversations, wondering what she could have done differently.
One day, she came across a quote that changed everything: “Letting go means to come to the realization that some people are a part of your history, but not a part of your destiny.”
Something clicked. She realized she was trying to force someone into her future who was meant to stay in her past. She unfollowed him on social media, deleted their text conversations, and began focusing on her own growth.
It was not easy. Some days she wanted to reach out. But she kept returning to that quote, reminding herself of the truth it contained. Within six months, she felt like a different person—lighter, happier, and finally open to new love.
James’s Story: Forgiving an Absent Father
James grew up without a father. His dad left when James was five years old and never looked back. For decades, James carried anger and resentment. He blamed his father for his insecurities, his failed relationships, his fear of abandonment.
In his forties, James began therapy. His therapist introduced him to the concept of forgiveness as a gift to himself. She shared the quote about resentment being like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
James resisted at first. His father did not deserve forgiveness. But gradually, he realized that his father was not suffering from James’s resentment—James was. The poison was only hurting him.
Through months of work, James found a way to forgive his father. Not to excuse his behavior, but to free himself from its grip. He wrote a letter he never sent, expressing everything he felt and then consciously releasing it. Today, James says that forgiveness was the hardest and most liberating thing he has ever done.
Maria’s Story: Accepting a Different Life Path
Maria always dreamed of becoming a mother. She and her husband tried for years, but pregnancy never happened. Fertility treatments failed. Adoption fell through at the last moment. Maria was devastated.
For a long time, she fought against reality. She compared herself to friends with children. She felt like a failure. She could not let go of the life she had imagined.
Then she discovered a quote that slowly changed her perspective: “Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought life would be like and learn to find joy in the story you are actually living.”
Maria began focusing on what she did have rather than what she lacked. She invested in her marriage, her career, her friendships, her nieces and nephews. She found ways to nurture and care for others that did not require biological children.
Today, Maria says she has made peace with her path. She still has moments of sadness, but they no longer consume her. She found joy in an unexpected story—one she never would have chosen but has learned to love.
David’s Story: Releasing Career Disappointment
David worked at the same company for fifteen years, steadily climbing the ladder. When the CEO position opened up, everyone assumed David would get it. Instead, the board hired someone from outside the company.
David was devastated. He had given everything to this company, and they passed him over. He considered quitting in protest. He fantasized about the new CEO failing. He could not let go of his bitterness.
A mentor shared a quote with him: “You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, or even months over-analyzing a situation… or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move on.”
David realized he had a choice. He could stay stuck in resentment, or he could move forward. He chose to move forward. He gave the new CEO his full support while also beginning to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Within a year, David received an offer to become CEO of a smaller company. It was a better fit for his leadership style. Looking back, he sees that being passed over was the best thing that could have happened—but only because he chose to let go and remain open to new possibilities.
The Science of Letting Go
Beyond quotes and stories, science supports the importance of letting go for mental and physical health.
Research shows that holding onto grudges increases stress hormones in the body. Chronic resentment has been linked to higher blood pressure, weakened immune function, and increased risk of depression and anxiety. Your body literally suffers when you refuse to let go.
Conversely, studies on forgiveness show remarkable health benefits. People who practice forgiveness report lower levels of pain, better sleep, reduced anxiety, and improved heart health. Forgiveness is not just good for your soul—it is good for your body.
The brain also changes when we practice letting go. Neuroplasticity research shows that repeated thoughts create neural pathways. When we ruminate on past hurts, we strengthen the pathways associated with pain and resentment. When we practice release and forgiveness, we create new pathways associated with peace and acceptance.
This means that letting go is a skill that improves with practice. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. Each time you choose peace over pain, you are literally rewiring your brain for happiness.
Common Obstacles to Letting Go
Even with powerful quotes and inspiring stories, letting go remains challenging. Here are common obstacles and how to overcome them.
Fear of Forgetting
Many people resist letting go because they fear forgetting. If they release the anger, will they forget what happened? Will they become vulnerable to being hurt again?
Remember: letting go is not forgetting. You can release the emotional charge while keeping the lesson. Forgiveness does not mean you forget the behavior or expose yourself to future harm. It simply means you stop carrying the burden.
Belief That Anger Protects You
Some people hold onto anger because it feels protective. If they stay angry, they cannot be hurt again. The armor of resentment keeps them safe.
But this armor also keeps out love, joy, and connection. Anger might feel like protection, but it is actually a prison. True protection comes from wisdom and healthy boundaries—not from chronic resentment.
Waiting for an Apology
Many people cannot let go until the other person apologizes. They want acknowledgment of the wrong done to them. They want justice.
The hard truth is that apologies do not always come. Some people will never acknowledge their wrongs. Waiting for an apology that may never arrive means giving that person power over your peace indefinitely. Letting go means reclaiming that power.
Feeling Like Letting Go Means They Win
When someone wrongs us, letting go can feel like letting them off the hook. We want them to suffer. We want them to pay. Forgiveness feels like they are winning.
In reality, holding onto resentment means they win. They wronged you in the past, and now they continue to take your peace in the present. Letting go is how you win. It is how you take back your life.
A Practice for Beginning Your Letting Go Journey
If you are ready to begin letting go but do not know where to start, try this simple practice.
Find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed. Take several deep breaths, allowing your body to relax.
Think about what you are holding onto. Name it specifically. It might be a person, a situation, a disappointment, or a version of yourself.
Now, ask yourself: What is this costing me? Be honest about the toll this holding on has taken on your peace, your health, your relationships, your joy.
Choose one quote from this article that speaks to your situation. Read it slowly, several times. Let the words sink into your heart.
Say out loud: “I am willing to let go. I am willing to forgive. I am willing to find peace.” You do not have to feel ready—willingness is enough.
Repeat this practice daily. Each time, you release a little more. Each time, the grip loosens. Each time, you move closer to freedom.
Picture This
Close your eyes and imagine this moment in your future.
It is a quiet morning, perhaps a year from now. You are sitting in a comfortable chair, a warm cup of tea in your hands. Sunlight streams through the window, casting gentle patterns on the floor.
You take a deep breath and notice something remarkable: your chest feels light. That heavy weight you carried for so long—the resentment, the regret, the grief—is no longer there. Not because you forgot, but because you released it. You set it down and walked away.
You think about the person who wronged you, and instead of anger, you feel something unexpected: peace. Maybe even gratitude for the lessons learned. They no longer have power over your emotions. You took that power back.
You think about the dream that did not come true, the path that did not unfold as planned. Instead of bitterness, you feel acceptance. You see now that the unexpected journey brought gifts you never could have imagined. You would not trade your actual life for the life you once wanted.
Your relationships have transformed. Without the armor of resentment, you connect more deeply with others. You love more freely. You trust more easily. People notice the change in you, even if they cannot name it.
Your body feels different too. The tension you carried in your shoulders has melted away. You sleep better. You have more energy. You did not realize how much holding on was draining you until you finally let go.
Looking back, you see that letting go was not a single moment but a journey. There were setbacks and struggles. Days when the old pain returned and you had to release it again. But you kept choosing peace. You kept choosing freedom. And eventually, freedom became your natural state.
This is not a fantasy. This is the future waiting for you on the other side of release. Every quote you read, every practice you try, every conscious choice to let go brings you closer to this moment.
The peace you seek is not somewhere out there. It is inside you, waiting to be uncovered. All you have to do is release what is blocking it.
Your journey of letting go begins now.
Share This Article
Do you know someone who is struggling to let go? Perhaps a friend is holding onto a painful past, a family member cannot forgive, or a colleague is stuck in bitterness that dims their light.
Share this article with them. Sometimes the right words at the right time can change everything. A single quote might spark the transformation they have been waiting for.
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Disclaimer
This article is provided for informational and inspirational purposes only. The content consists of collected quotes, personal anecdotes, and general wellness information. It is not intended to serve as professional psychological, medical, or therapeutic advice.
If you are struggling with trauma, grief, depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns, please seek support from a qualified mental health professional. The process of letting go and forgiveness can bring up intense emotions that are best processed with professional guidance.
Individual experiences vary. What works for one person may not work for another. The author and publisher make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy, completeness, or applicability of the information contained herein.
By reading this article, you agree that the author and publisher shall not be held liable for any damages, claims, or losses arising from your use of or reliance on this content. Always use your own judgment and seek professional guidance when needed.
