letting go of identity

“We all want our lives to mean something, so we build up and cling to an identity, hoping that it will provide meaning. It may just be, however, that we find meaning not in identity, but in letting go of identity.”

- Josh Korda, Unsubscribe

It’s hard to think about letting go of an identity you’ve held for so long.

I’ve seen this countless times in my twenty years as a financial advisor with retirees; you work in your career for thirty-plus years, and you become your career. Without it, who are you? Retirement is supposed to be a joyous time, but for many, it’s a tough time that sometimes leads to depression because of the loss of identity.

As I’ve shared, I’ve been reading, listening, and watching a lot about letting go of identity to become the next version of your Self; I’m not necessarily seeking this content, rather it’s finding me.

“What got you here, won’t get you where you want to go.”

I think Korda’s quote carries a lot of truth in it, but the truth is one most of us will never seek because of what it requires–the submission of the identity we’ve created for our Selves.

I believe it has to become easier to let go of your identity and allow a new version of your Self to be born when you realize the identity you are clinging to no longer serves you and doesn’t align with your authentic Self.

Is your current identity the one you would choose for your Self if you were given the opportunity to start with a blank slate?

See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,

JC