If there’s one theme that keeps coming up in my own life—and in the thousands of messages I get from readers—it’s this:

Most of us aren’t unhappy because life is hard.
We’re unhappy because we hold on too tightly.

We hold on to expectations.
We hold on to old identities.
We hold on to the belief that life must unfold in a neat, controlled way.

But the truth is this:
Letting go isn’t giving up. It’s opening up.
It’s creating just enough space for joy, spontaneity, and real happiness to come in.

In this article, I want to share 10 simple ways to practice the art of letting go so you can start living a lighter, more fun, and more meaningful life.

These aren’t abstract Buddhist concepts or theory from psychology textbooks.
They’re things that have reshaped my life—from how I navigate stress to how I parent, work, and relate to others.

Let’s dive in.

1. Let go of the idea that life must always make sense

One of the biggest sources of frustration in adulthood is the belief that life should be predictable, logical, and explainable.

But life doesn’t care about our need for clarity.

Jobs fall apart.
Plans shift.
People change their minds.
Opportunities appear out of nowhere.

When you release the pressure for life to “make sense,” something beautiful happens:
You become flexible. You adapt. You laugh things off. You stop fighting reality.

The happiest people I’ve met aren’t the ones with perfect lives—they’re the ones who can roll with what life gives them.

2. Let go of being the “strong one” all the time

I used to think I had to carry everything on my shoulders—stress, work, family issues, the future.

It took me years to realize that strength isn’t about holding on.
Sometimes strength is admitting:

“I can’t do this alone.”
or
“I need help.”
or
“I’m not okay right now.”

Letting others in isn’t weakness.
It’s what makes life feel less heavy and more human.

Fun and happiness come more naturally when you stop playing the role of the unbreakable one.

3. Let go of your old identity

When people ask me how I changed my life, I often tell them it wasn’t about discipline or productivity—it was about letting go of the version of myself I kept defending.

The “old Lachlan” who thought success meant working nonstop.
The “old Lachlan” who needed external approval.
The “old Lachlan” who saw vulnerability as a flaw.

Letting go of who I used to be is what allowed me to live with more joy and ease.

And this is exactly why I wrote my book, Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How to Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego.
In it, I talk about the Buddhist practices that helped me shed old identities and live life with more clarity and freedom.

If you’ve felt stuck in your own patterns, this one shift—releasing your outdated self-image—is transformative.

4. Let go of the need to be understood

Not everyone will get you.
Not everyone will agree with you.
Not everyone will support your choices.

And that’s okay.

The moment you stop trying to convince the world to see things your way, you unlock a level of peace you didn’t realize was possible.

Some of the funnest, happiest people I know?
They’re delightfully misunderstood—and completely unbothered by it.

5. Let go of “someday”

Most people don’t live their lives.
They postpone them.

Someday I’ll travel.
Someday I’ll slow down.
Someday I’ll try that hobby.
Someday I’ll take better care of myself.

“Sometime later” is where joy goes to die.

One of the most freeing things you can do is start treating your desires as valid now.
Not when work settles down.
Not when the kids grow up.
Not when you feel more ready.

Life becomes infinitely more fun when you give yourself permission to live today.

6. Let go of the stories you tell yourself

We all walk around with internal narratives that shape our lives:

“I’m not good with people.”
“I’m always anxious.”
“I never get lucky.”
“This is just who I am.”

These stories feel true because we repeat them so often. But they are not facts—they’re habits.

And like any habit, they can be rewritten.

The happiest people I know aren’t perfect.
They just refuse to be prisoners of their old stories.

7. Let go of comparison

Comparison is one of the fastest ways to suffocate joy.

We compare careers.
We compare marriages.
We compare lifestyles, bodies, homes, bank accounts.

But comparison is built on an illusion: the idea that everyone else has it more “figured out.”

Let me tell you a truth that changed my life:
Everyone’s struggling with something.
Even the happiest people.
Even the most successful.
Even the ones who look like they’re gliding through life.

Freedom begins when you stop measuring your journey against someone else’s.

8. Let go of the need for constant productivity

A few years ago, I realized that every moment of my life had turned into a task.

Even relaxing became something to optimize:

“Am I relaxing in the right way?”
“Should I be meditating?”
“Can I be more efficient with my downtime?”

Letting go meant allowing life to breathe.

It meant reading a book with no goal.
Taking a nap without guilt.
Doing something fun simply because it’s fun.

The happiest people don’t treat their days like a to-do list.
They treat them like a collection of moments.

9. Let go of grudges (but not boundaries)

Letting go doesn’t mean letting people walk all over you.

It means dropping the emotional weight of carrying resentment around.

You can forgive someone quietly.
You can release the memory without reopening the door.
You can let go without reconciling.

The freedom comes from internal release, not external approval.

When you stop holding emotional scorecards, life feels lighter.
And that lightness is what allows fun, connection, and joy to enter again.

10. Let go of the idea that happiness is a finish line

This one took me decades to understand.

Happiness isn’t a destination.
It’s a way of interacting with life.

It’s in the small daily habits:
Savouring your morning coffee.
Laughing at your own mistakes.
Sending a goofy message to someone you love.
Making space for rest.
Choosing curiosity over control.

The art of letting go isn’t about deleting responsibilities or floating through life carefree.
It’s about meeting life with openness instead of resistance.

And that’s where real happiness lives.

Final thoughts: the real art of letting go

If I had to summarise everything I’ve learned so far about happiness, it’s this:

Life becomes lighter the moment you stop gripping it so tightly.

You don’t need perfection.
You don’t need control.
You don’t need everything to unfold exactly how you imagined.

You just need space—space to breathe, space to change, space to enjoy your own life again.

Letting go isn’t passive.
It’s intentional.
It’s powerful.
And it’s one of the most life-changing skills you can learn.

And if you want to go deeper into the practices that helped me live a calmer, happier, more grounded life, I explore them fully in my book,
Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How to Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego.

It’s a guide to letting go of the ego-based patterns that make life heavier than it needs to be—and opening up to a simpler, more joyful way of living.