We spend far too much time obsessing over details that don’t really matter. A good rule of thumb is if you won’t care in five years, you shouldn’t care now.
Here are some things you can let go of that you won’t remember in five years anyway.
Wedding Details
Stop stressing out about the perfect napkins, place settings, and flowers. In five years, all people will remember is whether the food was good and whether they had fun.
That Petty Fight
Stop holding onto the pain of a petty fight if your relationship is good overall. Sometimes fights highlight problems in a relationship that should be addressed, but if you have a silly random fight over something that doesn’t matter, let it go.
A Cancelled Meet Up
It’s frustrating when people flake, but will you remember that your friend had a last-minute emergency and bailed on an event in five years?
Comments from Strangers
Don’t let people get to you if you don’t know them. Some folks thrive on getting angry reactions from others. Don’t give them pleasure. Let it go, and move on with your day.
Putting Your Foot in Your Mouth
We’re often our harshest critics. Sometimes we say things that unintentionally offend someone else. Apologize and move on. Unless you habitually say rude things, no one will remember in five years.
A Botched Interview
Sometimes things aren’t meant to be. We can ace an interview and still not get a job. Don’t dwell on it.
Instead, find ways to improve your skills and be ready when the opportunity comes again. Five years from now, you’ll barely remember this one failed interview.
A Break-Up
Break-ups are usually for the best. Although they hurt at the moment, when you look back in a year, you’ll see how much better your life is because you broke up.
A Mistake at Work
We all make mistakes. Forgetting to send that email or making a typo on that last report isn’t the end of the world. The boss may ride you for a day, but he’ll forget by next month, so you should stop dwelling on it.
The Latest Fashion
Don’t worry if you can’t keep up with all the trends. What’s in today will be out tomorrow, so it doesn’t matter if you miss it. Instead, focus on what you like and cultivate a style that fits you despite the trends.
What People Think
As you grow older, you realize that what other folks think doesn’t matter. It won’t matter in five years that the cute guy at the counter thinks you’re weird or that the old lady judged you on the subway. Stop worrying about what others think, and be yourself.
The Older We Get, The Less it Matters
In youth’s folly we often obsess about a lot of things that don’t actually matter. Here’s what we tend to let go of as we get older.
Letting Go Helps You Savor Each Moment
They often say time flies, and that’s true. We’re often so busy we don’t even notice the days and years slip away.
Yes Time Flies – But Here’s How To Savor Every Moment
Your Free Spirit Soar
Are you a free spirit, forced to live in a little box by society’s constraints? Here are some tips for letting your spirit soar.
Stay True To Yourself
To live a happy, healthy, life, you must be true to yourself. It can be hard to be ourselves when society wants to force us to be something we’re not. Here are 16 ways to be unapologetically you.
37 Tips for Living Your Best Life
The life you want is within reach! Here are 37 tips to help you live a fulfilling life.
Melanie launched Partners in Fire in 2017 to document her quest for financial independence with a mix of finance, fun, and solving the world’s problems. She’s self educated in personal finance and passionate about fighting systematic problems that prevent others from achieving their own financial goals. She also loves travel, anthropology, gaming and her cats.