Today, I reflected on a difficult encounter with a staff member at the halfway house. The challenge wasn’t new—rules changed without notice, communication was curt, and it felt like respect was optional. But this time, I responded differently. I remembered a concept I recently learned called the “Let Them” theory. It changed everything.
The “Let Them” theory, at its core, is about emotional freedom. It teaches us to release the need to control how others act, think, or respond. If someone wants to misunderstand me—let them. If a staff member is having a bad day and projecting that onto me—let them. My job isn’t to fix their mood, prove my worth, or win approval. My job is to remain grounded in my growth.
I’ve realized that not every battle deserves my energy. Just like Michael Santos learned from Mandela, Douglass, and Frankl—we get to choose our response to adversity. That’s where true freedom starts.
Rather than snapping back, I documented the incident calmly in my journal. I focused on what I could control: my attitude, my plan, my progress. I’m building my release portfolio, one entry at a time. Each challenge is another opportunity to show stakeholders that I’m serious about change, serious about liberty, and serious about leading a law-abiding life.
When staff create friction, I will remind myself: Let them. Their behavior is a reflection of them, not of me. I don’t need validation from every authority figure. My preparation, my consistency, and my documentation will speak louder than frustration ever could.
As Prison Professors teaches, liberty is earned—not just through time served, but through deliberate, documented growth. So I’ll keep building. And I’ll let go of what doesn’t serve me.
