Release and Renew: The Liberation of Letting Go
A familiar phrase has been floating around social media: "Check on your strong friends." Admittedly, we should develop the habit of checking in on our loved ones. However, we must remain contentious and diligent in applying that same logic to our own health and well-being.
Letting go supports us in making space for more good to come into our lives. Only the very thought of releasing the familiar often scares us to the point where we hold on to relationships, friendships, and the like for far too long out of fear of the unknown. This post will explore the liberation that can come from the practice of letting go.
It is often said that we should release what no longer serves. However, the specifics around how to do it are often left to the imagination.
There’s this widely held notion that letting go is an all-or-nothing practice. Essentially, one must do everything in one's power to “fix” things on one's own before even thinking about letting anything go. In many ways, it’s as if letting go is a cardinal sign of weakness. Most often, when it comes to doing anything that requires us to release any felt sense of control, we must first believe that we have done everything in our power to resolve what troubles us on our own, as it is most often done as a last ditch effort when all else has failed.
Whether conscious of it or not, people, experiences, and relationships come into our lives for a reason, season, or a lifetime. The more we hold on to people, relationships, and experiences, the more we take ourselves out of the present moment. Whether you have personally gone through an experience where you have outgrown a relationship or seen one of the many television episodes that chronicle a relationship that persisted way past its time, it’s far easier to see the big picture when you are on the outside looking in. Seeing past the pain and discomfort when you are in it is much more challenging in the middle of a “storm.”
Contrary to popular belief, we have little to no control over anyone or anything outside of ourselves. In our day-to-day lives, we encounter any number of situations and circumstances that are beyond the realm of our control. More often than not, we respond to these situations by holding on to them for dear life, constantly replaying them in a perpetual loop within our minds, unduly subjecting ourselves to reliving these experiences over and over again. Being that what you resist persists can quickly put you in the middle of a stress response that can make you susceptible to the physical effects of persistent stress.
The practice of letting go is rooted in releasing any resistance to what is and not the sum of whether we have exhausted all other options. Letting go is not a practice that should be used when you’re at your Witts end; it is observing the spaces where we encounter resistance and releasing it, opening yourself up to the infinite possibilities in the unknown. Admittingly stepping into the unknown can bring unknown degrees of uncertainty. However, the path to your next level only exists in the space of the unknown. In other words, to get where you’ve never been, you must release what no longer serves to make space for the universe to manifest intention into physical form.
A Gentle Reminder
You are a divine light able to think and function independently of circumstances. Remember, you are far greater than any unfavorable circumstances or limitations you may experience. As spiritual beings having a human incarnation, we are empowered with the foresight to see beyond our current events. You are not your perceived problems, struggles, or any other low vibrational frequency that subjects you to relinquish your power. Having difficulty practicing letting go doesn’t mean you shouldn’t practice; it just calls you to revisit your approach to make space for more good than you could imagine.
The Practice
Take notice if and when you feel disconnected (aka a little off). Release any judgment and allow it to inform you. Close your eyes or lower your gaze to disconnect from any external distractions, redirecting your awareness within.
Pause, taking a few deep cleansing breaths, allowing your nervous system to settle until you feel relief. Ask yourself what you need at this moment. Allow your inner being to inform you. Tune in to deep listening, release all striving, and allow yourself to comply with the answer.
Revisit this practice as many times as needed. Remember, your inner being holds the answers no matter how you feel. Revisit this practice until you develop the habit of checking in with yourself throughout the day to honor your well-being.
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