--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Letting go. Everyone talks about it like…" description: "\"“Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open. But my hand has been clenched..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/gayle-forman-312_letting-go_letting-go-everyone-talks-about-it-like_598031.png" --- # Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest… ![“Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open. But my hand has been clenched into a fist for three years now; it's frozen shut.” quote by Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/gayle-forman-312_letting-go_letting-go-everyone-talks-about-it-like_598031.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/gayle-forman-312_letting-go_letting-go-everyone-talks-about-it-like_598031.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/123/gayle-forman-312_letting-go_letting-go-everyone-talks-about-it-like_598031.png) > ““Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open. But my hand has been clenched into a fist for three years now; it's frozen shut.”” [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Letting go is difficult after long periods of emotional restraint. **In simple terms:** Releasing long-held tension is hard. Key Takeaway Practice gradual release of emotional tension. Themes emotional release healing patience Mood somber hopeful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - relationship breakups - grief - career burnout - personal growth Key Concepts psychology mindfulness trauma recovery Questions to Reflect On - What emotions are you holding onto? - How can you gently open up? A Different Perspective Change is rarely instant; it requires time. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Letting go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) ## Related quotes > [But my hand has been clenched into a fist for three years now; it's frozen shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/but-my-hand-has-been-clenched-into-a-fist-for-three-years-now-it-s/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [There is more power in the open hand than in the clenched fist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-newton-casson/there-is-more-power-in-the-open-hand-than-in-the-clenched-fist/) [Herbert Newton Casson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-newton-casson/) > [Her free hand was clenched in a fist. I held still, waiting for her to say something, to tell me she should have never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamora-pierce/her-free-hand-was-clenched-in-a-fist-i-held-still-waiting-for-her-to/) [Tamora Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamora-pierce/) > [Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/letting-go-everyone-talks-about-it-like-it-s-the-easiest-thing-unfurl-2/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“What would you do if she wanted me?” His hand clenched tight in Six’s shirt. “She can’t have you. Not tonight.” “Possessive, aren’t you?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kit-rocha/what-would-you-do-if-she-wanted-me-his-hand-clenched-tight-in-six-s/) [Kit Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kit-rocha/) > [Many of us come into the world with a clenched fist, but we all leave with an open hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/many-of-us-come-into-the-world-with-a-clenched-fist-but-we-all-leave/) [Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/) > [In joined hands there is still some token of hope, in the clenched fist none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/in-joined-hands-there-is-still-some-token-of-hope-in-the-clenched/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [“Vengeance ought to be spoken through gritted teeth, spittle flying, the cords of one's soul so entangled in it that you can't let it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/vengeance-ought-to-be-spoken-through-gritted-teeth-spittle-flying-the/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [“when he observed Kitty with her. “Damnation, can’t that girl do anything she’s told!” Wickham thumped the wall with his clenched fist, a red…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-soliman/when-he-observed-kitty-with-her-damnation-can-t-that-girl-do-anything/) [Wendy Soliman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-soliman/) > [“At the best of times, Father Bain's face resembled a clenched fist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/at-the-best-of-times-father-bain-s-face-resembled-a-clenched-fist/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“I prepared for my meal in the usual fashion: fork in my left hand; my dominant right clenched into a fist on my lap,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/i-prepared-for-my-meal-in-the-usual-fashion-fork-in-my-left-hand-my/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/you-can-t-shake-hands-with-a-clenched-fist/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“Wow, Skye.” He kneels in front of me, ready to put one of his huge, strong hands on my knees. I recoil suddenly before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-witter/wow-skye-he-kneels-in-front-of-me-ready-to-put-one-of-his-huge-strong/) [Stephanie Witter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-witter/) > [She clenched her fist in his T-shirt, put her other arm around those too-broad, too-real shoulders. When he tried to pull away, she held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/she-clenched-her-fist-in-his-t-shirt-put-her-other-arm-around-those/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“you will die with a clenched fist and a tense jaw, the epitome of hatred and struggle, because you are not a symbol but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernesto-che-guevara/you-will-die-with-a-clenched-fist-and-a-tense-jaw-the-epitome-of/) [Ernesto Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernesto-che-guevara/) ## More by Gayle Forman > [“Waiting for Vengeance' Well, what is this? What am I coming to? And beyond that, what am I gonna do? Now there’s blankness Where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/waiting-for-vengeance-well-what-is-this-what-am-i-coming-to-and/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [I don’t want to be that person, who just takes things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-don-t-want-to-be-that-person-who-just-takes-things/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [I’ve blamed her for all of this, for leaving, for ruining me. And maybe that was the seed of it, but from that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-ve-blamed-her-for-all-of-this-for-leaving-for-ruining-me-and-maybe/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [There are like twenty people in that waiting room right now. Some of them are related to you. Some of them are not. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/there-are-like-twenty-people-in-that-waiting-room-right-now-some-of/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“It’s like an ache, how much I miss them. How much I miss her. I’m so tired of missing things I don’t have”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/it-s-like-an-ache-how-much-i-miss-them-how-much-i-miss-her-i-m-so/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Whoever said that the past isn’t dead had it backward. It’s the future that’s already dead, already played out. This whole night has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/whoever-said-that-the-past-isn-t-dead-had-it-backward-it-s-the-future/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“We drank Pepsi out of these old-fashioned bottles that Dad had found at some ancient country store, and I swear they tasted better than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/we-drank-pepsi-out-of-these-old-fashioned-bottles-that-dad-had-found/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Pero si voy a sobrevivir, no puedo nunca, jamás volver a repasar este día.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/pero-si-voy-a-sobrevivir-no-puedo-nunca-jam-s-volver-a-repasar-este-d/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Some things are impossible to tear yourself away from.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/some-things-are-impossible-to-tear-yourself-away-from/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [You meet people, you part ways, sometimes you cross paths again. Mostly, you don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/you-meet-people-you-part-ways-sometimes-you-cross-paths-again-mostly/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Do you honestly think that where you’re buried has any bearing on where your spirit lives?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/do-you-honestly-think-that-where-you-re-buried-has-any-bearing-on/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“Jazz je punk pro staré lidi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/jazz-je-punk-pro-star-lidi/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Hate me. Devastate me. Annihilate me. Re-create me. Re-create me. Won't you, won't you won't you re-create me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/hate-me-devastate-me-annihilate-me-re-create-me-re-create-me-won-t/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [“I can't lose you again. It really will kill me this time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/i-can-t-lose-you-again-it-really-will-kill-me-this-time/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) [Explore all 598 Gayle Forman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) ## More Letting go quotes > [You can think about it, wonder what went wrong, over analyze the situation but the fact remains... it's the past, just let it go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashida-rowe/you-can-think-about-it-wonder-what-went-wrong-over-analyze-the/) [Rashida Rowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashida-rowe/) > [Then come to realize that you're making mountains out of molehills. Realize how petty you've become. Sure, it may feel like you can't get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-asher/then-come-to-realize-that-you-re-making-mountains-out-of-molehills/) [Jay Asher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-asher/) > [As we are coming to the end of the year, I want you to forget about the past, the failure, the negative thoughts or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-we-are-coming-to-the-end-of-the-year-i-want-you-to-forget-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It’s about getting to a point in your life where you’re ready to let go and move on and become the better version of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-leto/it-s-about-getting-to-a-point-in-your-life-where-you-re-ready-to-let/) [Jared Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-leto/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“I'm grateful you entrusted me with them. But the day will come when someone will knock the sails out of you. She'll shatter every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/senayda-pierre/i-m-grateful-you-entrusted-me-with-them-but-the-day-will-come-when/) [Senayda Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/senayda-pierre/) > [He never lets go of Annie's hand. Not when they walk, not when they eat. I doubt he ever plans to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/he-never-lets-go-of-annie-s-hand-not-when-they-walk-not-when-they-eat/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [There comes a time in life when you have to let go of all the pointless drama and the people who create it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-comes-a-time-in-life-when-you-have-to-let-go-of-all-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes you have to let things go so theres room for better things to come into your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-you-have-to-let-things-go-so-theres-room-for-better-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, Ms. Lane," he said, "one must break with one's past to embrace one's future. It is never an easy thing to do. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/sometimes-ms-lane-he-said-one-must-break-with-one-s-past-to-embrace/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [In the last few years in particular, I've found that it's okay to let go of culture rather than hold on to it. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anoushka-shankar/in-the-last-few-years-in-particular-i-ve-found-that-it-s-okay-to-let/) [Anoushka Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anoushka-shankar/) > [If she is stupid enough to let you go, you're clever enough not to look back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-she-is-stupid-enough-to-let-you-go-you-re-clever-enough-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As an actor, I still have to remind myself of daring to let go and not to repeat myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-vikander/as-an-actor-i-still-have-to-remind-myself-of-daring-to-let-go-and-not/) [Alicia Vikander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-vikander/) > [You can't let the little nuances of life freak you out. Keep your composure in order to respond accordingly to whatever current pitfall is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ty-boyland/you-can-t-let-the-little-nuances-of-life-freak-you-out-keep-your/) Ty Boyland [Browse all 4,617 Letting go quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letting-go/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Letting go. Everyone talks about it like it's the easiest thing. Unfurl your fingers one by one until your hand is open. 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