by Johna Hansen, LCSW
There is a scene in the movie, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” where Indiana Jones is hanging from a cliff being held only by his father’s hand. On a ledge, just a few feet away from Indiana, lies the goblet that can be used to give one’s life longevity if dipped into a specific well. Minutes earlier Indiana watched as another person tried reaching for the goblet and fell into the abyss. Still, while holding tightly to his father’s hand, Indiana is tempted to reach over to grab the goblet. Immediately, Indiana’s father says, “Let it go, Indiana”.
While watching this movie again recently, I began to think of how important it is to tell ourselves to “let it go” at times. For instance, some of us have a strong attraction to chocolate. It is a beautiful thing. However, we know that too much chocolate may have an effect on our physical health. We might feel anxious when we think about the idea of not eating as much chocolate as we’d like because when we are faced with this temptation (similar to what Indiana Jones may have been experiencing) we believe it would be awful to not have it, or we can’t stand not having it.
Whatever the temptations may be, there are a few things that may help us resist them. We could believe that it won’t be the end of the world if we don’t get to have what it is we want. We can also believe that we can stand not having it. Most likely we will feel a healthy level of concern and we’ll be able to “let it go” just like Indiana.
