5 Things to Let Go of to UP Your Happiness

If you want to feel lighter, more joyful, and more at peace this year, it might not be about adding more to your life. It could be about releasing what’s weighing you down. Releasing what no longer serves you can be one of the most powerful steps toward true healing. Here are five powerful things to release this year to make space for happiness, health, and a renewed sense of purpose.

1. Comparison: It’s easy to look at what others are doing and feel like you'rebehind. Social media makes this even harder, showing only highlight reels of people's lives. But comparing your journey to someone else’s distracts you from the unique purpose God has placed on your life. Your timing is not late. It’s divine. Let go of comparison and lean into what makes your story meaningful.

2. Guilt About Rest: If you’ve been conditioned to believe that rest equals laziness, it’s time to rewrite that belief. Rest is built into the very design of life and renewal. Without it, your body breaks down, your hormones suffer, and your clarity fades. Let go of the guilt that whispers you have to earn your rest. You were never meant to live in burnout.

3. Toxic Relationships: Sometimes the hardest people to let go of are the ones you’ve known the longest, but not all history is healthy. If someone consistently drains your energy, speaks negativity into your life, or makes you doubt your worth, it’s okay to step back or move on. You are allowed to protect your peace, even if it means closing a chapter.

4. Perfectionism: You don’t need to get everything right to move forward. Perfectionism often masks fear. Fear of failure, judgment, or not being enough. The real growth happens when you take steps forward, not when you wait to have it all figured out. Let go of trying to do it all or do it right and instead take one brave, messy step forward. That’s where growth begins.

5. Old Narratives: That voice in your head that says, “I always mess this up,” “I’m not strong enough,” or “This is just how I’ve always been” is not truth. It’s a story. And stories can be rewritten. Let go of the lies and labels that keep you stuck in old versions of yourself. You are evolving. You are healing. You get to choose who you become next.

Real happiness isn’t found in having more. It’s found in carrying less of what was never yours to hold. As you let go of what doesn’t serve your mind, body, and spirit, you open the door to greater peace, joy, and purpose. Don’t be afraid to release. You’re making room for something better. ~Kimberly