How to Let Things Go

99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters

By: Shunmyo Masuno, Allison Markin Powell - translator

Narrated by: Douglas Hachiya

“You might have encountered the ‘let them’ theory, inspired by the book of the same name by motivational speaker Mel Robbins. . . . Another book with a similar message [is] How to Let Things Go. . . . Perfectly designed for modern readers . . . it provides a deeply practical approach to life.” —Buddhistdoor Global

Feeling overwhelmed? Step away from life's demands and free yourself up for what matters with this succinct and sensible guide by the Zen Buddhist author of the international bestsellers The Art of Simple Living and Don't Worry.

Amid the relentless cycle of news, social media, emails, and texts, it can be hard to know when, if ever, you can take a break from everything clamoring for your attention. The internationally bestselling Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno offers a radical message: You can leave it all be, and, indeed, sometimes the best thing you can learn is how to do nothing. How to Let Things Go will teach you to:

• Lesson #2: Give people space—being caring and being nosy are not the same thing.
• Lesson #15: Remember that social media is a tool and nothing more.
• Lesson #19: Let a relationship come to an end rather than force it.
• Lesson #40: Think of letting things go not as throwing them away but as setting them free.
• Lesson #75: Make decisions in the light of the morning—don't rush into them.
• Lesson #90: Slow down and take more breaks.

With these and ninety-three other practical tips, you can abandon the futile pursuit of trying to control everything and discover the key to a fulfilling social life; individual well-being; and a calmer, more focused mind.

Critic reviews

“Take life’s challenges day by day with the help of the newest book from Shunmyo Masuno. . . . Masuno’s voice shines through his tips, which are often simply put and charmingly straightforward. Despite being rooted in Zen concepts, this book’s accessible format and worldly focus make it a great choice for readers of all backgrounds.” —Tricycle

“[A] wise and succinct guide . . . Masuno has a knack for turning a phrase to make familiar advice memorable. . . . The stressed will find much to appreciate.” —Publishers Weekly

“Akin to a pocket Dhammapada or Bible, it provides inspirational and practical lessons for navigating social media, relationships, careers, and personal growth . . . with an easy-to-digest format that fits neatly on a smartphone screen.” —Buddhistdoor Global

“Provides succinct instructions paired with hard-to-argue rationale, simplifying what otherwise might feel like a daunting task.” —Lion’s Roar

The author had really good examples and creative solutions. Great book, definitely recommend!

I really enjoyed the book, the narrator was especially adept in reading, making it easy to follow along and understand.

Good bits of wisdom

Some useful tips to approach letting go of the past. Mostly just common sense. A few conclusions seemed insufficiently supported

It's worth it if you're short on time

It’s a short and concise read about how to navigate life’s challenges. It has value if you’re curious but short on time. I’m in favor of keeping things simple, but some of the tips mentioned are very context dependent and can’t be fully explained in a single page.

Good, quick reference when need it.

This is one of those books that you can reach for over and over again when you need a quick reminder to step back, breathe and let go. The only thing that bothered me were there were times the speech pattern of the narrator sounded AI.

Boring

Dislike the fact that he was reading someone else’s material and nothing seemed original blah blah