Vanessa WoodIt’s surprising. When we let go in genealogical research we can get past research and writing hurdles. What can we let go?
- Let go of expectations. How often have you heard “It should be there!” Maybe you or someone thinks there should be a deed. If a deed can’t be found look toward other evidence. Perhaps a will or tax record gives a description of an individual’s land.
- Let go of kinship. There are different levels of expected kinship. Maybe it’s someone a relative has mentioned as kin. Distancing from the person without the expectation of kinship helps to set the tone for being an objective researcher.
- Let go of old research. Once researched is not researched FOREVER. When you apply your own research methods you may find new information. I think back to a genealogy a great-aunt commissioned in the 1950s. When I went through it I did my own research. If found the genealogist had not turned to the next page on a census and had missed 4 household members!
- Let go of research questions. We want to know something so we get stuck in a research question. It’s like setting out on a road trip with the goal to arrive in a city on the other side of the county without driving through other towns along the way. In genealogy, setting smaller research questions that develop answers can help to piece together what we need to know to reach our conclusions. If the question is unanswerable, perhaps a new question is needed!
- Let go of aspirations. What are aspirations? For some it’s finding they are related to a US president, or finding Native American heritage, and for others it’s finding a specific Revolutionary War soldier to seek membership in a lineage society. A genealogist can help individuals aspirations in check, such as reminding individuals that lineage to one person may not be found but there are likely other recognized “patriots” that may be found in a family tree.
Today I’m digging in deep to write about my own family who migrated between two neighborhoods. The writing kept getting stalled because of these 5 points. I’ve let go. Regrouped. And I’m moving forward. Whew!
FEATURED IMAGE: “Idina Menzel – Let It Go (from Frozen) (Official Video),” gif file, MakeAGif.com (https://makeagif.com/gif/idina-menzel-let-it-go-from-frozen-official-video-Cp3ydY : accessed 9 October 2025).