What is the difference between "Giving Up" and "Letting Go"...?

Question

...and I am speaking - mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and Spiritually.

Explain your answers... Thank You!

Peace and Love!

Answer 1

Mentally, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually, are all facets of the same thing: mind.

To give up is to die, in our terms. Die to our own strength, our individual power, because to give up is to give in, relinquish our sense of self-worth;

Letting go is healing by allowing oneself to move on, beyond their personal trauma, or damage. This can be done when one forgives. It is a way of temporarily handing over responsibility, (usually to one's concept of God) when one know longer knows how to deal with a given situation; Letting go is an act of faith. Pressure is lessened when a person feels they have let go and allowed the greater part of them , which they most likely will not recognize as such, believing it to be outside them, allowed that part to take over until their power is restored.

For the most part, my answers stand alone.

Answer 2

Giving up means that you stop trying, even if there might be a slight possiability that things can work out.

More then that, usually people give up out of weakness, and the feeling of the unability to continue what they've begun.

Letting go is knowing that there is nothing more to be done, and that the only way things might work is if the oppertunity of functioning away from/without that certain thing/person is by being away or independant.

Letting go is usually out of strength, because the person is still attached mentally/physically/emotionally or spiritually to something, but is able to force oneself to let go.

So be strong enough to let go when you know you should, and never give up even if you want to.

Hope that makes sense :p

Peace.

Answer 3

Naturally, each person will have a different answer based on their life experiences and beliefs. For me, "Giving up" means everything from depression to not caring to just plain not doing whatever should be done regardless of the consequences that may come back...so, I do my best not to ever give up. However, "letting go", now that is the good one. For me, it is everything from closure on a past relationship that needed it, to letting God be in control, to releasing anything or anyone that is holding me back from being my best and giving my most in all I do. These are all related from mentally to emotionally and especially spiritually. Letting go can be so freeing and de-stressing, allowing yourself to be able to not burden yourself with all the little things that have no eternal consequence... and for me it is the most peaceful thing I can do for myself. I take a deep breath of fresh air, pray and just let go!

Answer 4

Giving Up Is More Of You Don't Care Anymore And You Are Leaving Something Unfinished


Letting Go Is More Of Releasing Something You Are Holding On To Rather Than Giving Up On It You Are Allowing It To Be What It Is And You Are Accepting That And Letting It Go Without Worries

Answer 5

Another fine question. Let me explain these from a Buddhist's perspective. Vinslave has given a fine answer, let me elaborate...

Giving up a desire for example, is not understanding the cause of the desire, but giving up the responding to that desire. The result is that the desire to respond remains. Because the desire to respond remains, we may actually sometimes respond. Letting go on the other hand means that we understand the causes of the desire, when those causes arise, we always let the desire to respond go. We therefore never respond.

Letting go, to Buddhists, Non Attachment, is understanding the causes which made the desire in the first place, understanding that there are triggers in the Consciousness which enable these causes to occur, then training the Consciousness to work differently so that these causes have no effect and that therefore there are no more desires.

Most selfish desires, for example, are caused by an arising of the "Self" in the Consciousness. We effectively own the desire which arises. When ownership is denied to the Consciousness, desire diminishes then eventually ceases. For example, we may want or desire to get angry at someone. We own the anger because in our consciousness the other person made "us" angry, it is "our" anger, this anger is "mine", then it becomes "I am angry". By denying this ownership, it is no longer "us" getting angry, it is simply a desire to be angry as opposed to actually getting angry because we haven't "picked it up". The anger becomes a "thing" with no influence and soon diminishes. This is Non Attachment...letting go....we've understood it's cause and let it go its merry way...

Peace from a Buddhist....

Answer 6

Giving up means you don't care any more what happens. You have no connection to it. You can't do anything to change it and you know it. It's sudden and quick. Like you give up studying something because you don't understand.

Letting go, is painful. You have to learn to stop feeling the way you do. It's a slow process and it takes time. You probably are wrecked emotionally for a long time when you're 'letting go'. Like when a love one dies...you have to let them go, or when you break up with someone and you loved them....

Answer 7

I have actual experience with finding the answer to this question, and although I have found it to be an on-going quest, I feel that I can at least attempt to help you.

I don't think it's EVER ok to "give up". Giving up is admission of defeat.... admission of completely being overtaken by depression, endeavors, understanding... whatever the quest. I have always been a fighter.... not a rebel, per se, but a fighter for whatever it is I stand for or believe in, whether it is right or wrong and in my experience, there's been hundreds of times I've just wanted to throw my hands in the air and give up trying.... Sometimes the situation, whatever it is, seems so bleak or overwhelming....
But to give up, would be doing myself a disservice. It isn't the obstacle we have to face that is the culprit... It is our reaction to it and how we conduct ourselves and our thoughts that allow us to "deal" with our circumstances and those things we are "fighting" for.
Eventually, I have had to "let go", or agree to disagree with the problems that surround me.... There will always be obstacles or problems that seem insurmountable sometimes.. That's just life... That's part of being a human being... But, when you let go, and accept situations for what they are, and focus more on how YOU can adjust to these things and better yourself and those around you, you aren't "giving up" on the subject at hand..... You are simply allowing the world to go on around you, because in the end it all boils down to control..... Control is an illusion.... And noone, and I mean noone can control life... Life happens whether we want it to or not... It's how we react to it and accept it that makes us more enlightened. I hope this helps..Good luck.

Answer 8

Wow! though ? Most people see giving up as to quit trying. Letting go does not necessarily incorporate quitting! Example: friend with cancer-- dying of cancer. Letting go means whatever the outcome it is okay because God is in control. Giving up means curling up on your bed and dying because there's no hope anyway. Sometimes quiting chemo is letting go.The difference comes in the way the rest of ones life is lived. And NEVER EVER give up praying for someones spiritual well being. it is never too late for that (until they are dead anyway)

Answer 9

Oh man, this one has my name on it. You should have just addressed it to me.

I am struggling with that. I think I have always struggled with that. It is easier to give up than it is to let go.

Letting go is moving on. Putting the past behind me once and for all and wanting to begin again with peace in my heart. WANTING to begin again is the key phrase and true obstacle.

Giving up is what I want to do. Just accept my fate and go about my life one day at a time. Always knowing that this is probably all there is and ever will be for me. Wallowing in self pity and disappointment with myself is cowardly and shameful yet I can't seem to rise above it except on very rare days.

Answer 10

When you give up ...you're doing so with no control of the outcome. When you let go ... you are still in control of the situation.
Think of it like fishing....if you just give up on the fishline you have no control over the fish on the line. When you are letting go, you have the control over the fishline in order to be able to know when to let go. I hope that helped.