Have you ever wondered about your daily routine? We’re not just talking about having a cup of coffee at 8:00 am or walking the dog mid-afternoon. There’s a fine line between a routine and a habit. Habits are indeed powerful determinants of your everyday behavior — and your moods, emotions and even happiness. They extend beyond physical routines — Monday, Wednesday, Friday at the gym — to habits of thought. Mental patterns of thought may include rehashing past hurts or experiencing self-doubt that may turn into anxiety.

If you have routines or habits that you think may be holding you back, stunting your personal growth or simply bothering you, the question is then: How do you get out of that vicious repetitive cycle?

Brianna Wiest has a slightly different perspective on the subject. She’s a bestselling author, having sold millions of books in which she approaches self-help with a philosophical outlook. (Titles such as The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery hint at her way of thinking.) Writing for Forbes.com, Karin Eldor interviewed Wiest to get her thoughts on the key to breaking habits that might be holding you back or — as, Wiest conceives the concept — identifying those things that you need to let go of. As Eldor writes, “This is your year to let go and leave behind what’s no longer serving you. Consider it a radical cleanup or reset of whatever is taking up energetic space in your mind, and as a result, in your life.

“Let’s be real: there can be a lot to let go of. The need for validation. Criticism. Control. Expectations. Rejection. Regret(s). Anger. Negativity. Toxic relationships. Resentment. Comparison. Timelines (Perceived or real). Limited beliefs.”

Eldor offers a quote from Wiest about the value of letting go: “Letting go is a constant process and a skill. As we learn and move through life, we’re continually releasing what no longer serves us. And when we master doing it with the little things, we’ll be ready when the big things come our way.”

Eldor than cites 10 ways that may help you develop the ability to let go and consequently allow yourself to grow to your potential.

1 – Replace Wanting with Surrender. This bit of advice hints at a new-age perspective on desire. In fact, it taps into the age-old wisdom that you can’t control outcomes — you can only control your own actions and feelings. Eldor sums it up saying, “The tighter the grip on the desired results, the more resistance is created as it signals lack versus abundance.”

2 – Trust the Law of Gestation. Take your pick of old sayings and proverbs that stress this idea — Rome wasn’t built in a day… The longest journey begins with a single step — and realize that old truths often benefit from being described in new language.

3 – Know When to Pivot. Plans are wonderful right up until the moment you begin to implement them. Coaches of professional sports teams always have game plans. They begin to execute and then immediately adjust in response to their opponent’s actions. Apply that same flexibility to your personal or professional life.

4 – Release Perfectionism. Think of another bit of age-old wisdom — don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good. As Eldor sees it: “Life doesn’t need to be perfect for you to move forward. Let go of waiting for ‘ideal’ circumstances.”

5 – Release the Need for Validation. You can’t please everybody. The trick is to decide whose judgement you trust and then gain what you can from their input. Ignore negative comments from anyone else.

6 – Identify What Still Needs to Be Learned. Do you ever wonder why a habit is so hard to break or it’s so hard to let go of a pattern of thought? Eldor offers a possible answer: “Difficulty in letting go may indicate that there’s a lesson still waiting to be gained from the situation.” Think about what that lesson might be.

7 – Keep Moving Forward. Old proverbs are sometimes also hilarious. Think about the old saying about accomplishing a huge goal: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

8 – Allow the Process of Healing. You can’t snap your fingers and suddenly let go of something. It’s a process. Give it time.

9 – Use Rituals for Release. Rituals — journaling, meditating — are proven ways to change your attitude and behavior. Tap into their power.

10 – Reconnect with Gratitude. If letting go is a process, and you’ve begun the process, take a moment to simply be grateful for the path you’re on and how far you’ve come. It’s a great way to reinforce your belief in yourself.