26 Quotes About Letting Go

While "inspirational quotes" might not be the first healing tool you reach for when dealing with transition or loss, a good quote can play an undoubtedly vital role for many folks—and maybe for you too.

Quotes from great writers, famous historical figures, proverbs, subject experts, and more, can serve as powerful allies when it comes to nurturing your mental health and well-being, says Jessi Gholami, LCSW, clinical social worker and senior editor at Start Here Parents.

“I'm not talking about those cheesy motivational posters, but the quotes that feel like a warm hug or a sage pep talk from someone who just gets it,” she says. “They're concentrated morsels of hard-won wisdom and reassurance that can provide much-needed grounding during life's tougher times.”

Inspirational quotes can also serve as excellent distractors from some of the negative and unhelpful thoughts that often play in our minds on a loop.

“Your mind often can go on autopilot around thoughts that may not be so helpful for your overall well being,” says Donna Novak, PsyD, clinical therapist in Simi Valley, CA. “Having your favorite inspirational quotes around can support in breaking these conditioned automatic thoughts from continuing to spiral and can allow for some fresh perspective.”

Here, we’ll look specifically at quotes on letting go—quotes that speak to the power of surrender, release, healing, and forgiveness.

26 Quotes About Letting Go

Quotes about letting go can serve as powerful mental health tools and reminders. “For anyone grappling with anxiety, depression or other mental health struggles, having a few go-to quotes in your back pocket can make a world of difference,” Gholami says.

Without further ado, here are 26 memorable quotes about letting go:

What Does the Idea of Letting Go Mean?

The concept of letting go is a potent and meaningful one when it comes to mental health. “Mental health is directly correlated to a person’s ability to release and let go of what doesn’t serve them, or what doesn’t feel good or helpful in their lives,” Novak says.

“The idea of ‘letting go’ to me means releasing all that does not serve us and allowing things that we do not have control over to be released from our focused attention,” she describes. “As a result, we free up so much more space for fresh perspectives, creative ideas, and connection to the present moment, our loved ones, and ourselves.”

Letting go sounds simple in theory, but it can sometimes require tons of work to release things like resentment, fear, and self-judgment, because we tend to desperately cling to these, says Gholami. And it’s not just about simply forgetting about what has caused us pain: it takes effort and resilience.

“Letting go doesn't mean dismissing very real hurts, but rather developing the muscle to free ourselves from negativity's chokehold so we can breathe a little easier,” Gholami explains.

What Is the Purpose of a Favorite Quote?

Keeping favorites quotes around serves many purposes, including acting as reminders to us, inspirations, affirmations, and serving as mantras.

A good inspirational quote can play a variety of roles, says Gholami. It can serve as a “mantra for finding calm, an encouraging nudge towards self-belief, or that empowering rallying cry to keep showing up with courage,” she shares. “In my practice, I see quotes as potent tools for interrupting unhelpful mental loops and sparking perspective shifts.”

Gholami shared some further thoughts on the “why” behind inspirational quotes.

Reminders

Inspirational quotes are like carrying around a gentle reminder that you are never alone in the way that you are feeling—and that others have carried around similar burdens and found their ways to calmer days, Gholami describes.

“When you're in the thick of it, mental health issues can ambush your sense of reality, making it excruciatingly difficult to see clearly or stay present,” says Gholami. “A familiar quote can be that lifeline, pulling you back to steadier shores.”

Aide for Neurodiverse Individuals

Inspirational quotes can be particularly helpful for people with neurological conditions such as ADHD or autism, says Gholami. “For someone with ADHD, bumping into that perfectly-timed quote can be the pattern-interrupt needed to re-center focus,” she explains. “For those on the spectrum, a succinct quote could finally give voice to emotions that feel muddy and inexpressible.”

How to Use Quotes About Letting Go

So how exactly can you use these quotes about letting go? Here are some expert tips:

Use Them While Meditating

One of the most powerful ways to use a quote about letting go is during a mindfulness practice, whether that’s sitting down to meditate, doing some deep breathing, or engaging in a mindful walk. “I highly recommend being around a quote about letting go prior and during a meditative practice,” Novak says.

“Meditation is a powerful way to connect to the present moment and allow time and space to release what is not serving,” she adds. For many of us, though, meditation can be difficult, so having a quote about letting go around can serve as a helpful reminder to stay present and allow yourself to release stress, Novak says.

Place Them Around Your Space

Printing out these quotes or writing them out on Post-It notes and placing them around your space can be very helpful. “Quotes around letting go can be so powerful that I recommend having them around your home and office for frequent reminders to release what is not feeling good and to instead choose a higher and more aligned good feeling thought or action,” says Novak.

Add Them Into Your Daily Routine

Another way to use these quotes is to integrate them into your daily routine. “Fusing them into routines like journaling, meditation, or other rituals creates new inroads to those intrusive thoughts and emotional cargo areas that were previously off-limits,” says Gholami.

What might this look like? Maybe you would take your favorite quote with you when you sit down to write in your journal, and then use it as a freewriting/free association exercise.  It might also look like looking at the quote before falling asleep, and doing some visualizations or deep breathing exercises with the quote in mind.

Keep in Mind

Inspirational quotes about letting go are something you can keep in your back pocket for when you are feeling stuck, stressed, need a mood boost, or are looking for a new perspective. But sometimes quotes about letting go aren’t enough.

“In times when sadness, overwhelm, life events, grief, anxiety and more are feeling heavy and taking over, seeking professional care for your mental health is a great option,” Novak offers. “Remember, you don’t need to do this alone.”

There are many mental healthcare professionals out there who are ready to help you feel better, heal, thrive, and unlock your potential. Don’t hesitate to seek out their care.