“Don’t hold anything too tightly, just wish for it, want it, then let it go.” - Oprah
These past few years have been a crash course in letting go, letting go of everything we thought and hoped our lives might be in order to embrace something else entirely.
In the early pandemic days, I was determined to keep the parts and pieces of my life that I had worked incredibly hard to achieve but after facing obstacle after obstacle, leaping over endless hurdles, and hitting multiple roadblocks, I unexpectedly decided to let it all go and reimagine my life completely.
In the midst of letting go of everything I had built, I realized there is a difference between giving up and knowing when we have had enough. Life is a never ending balancing act and we are always deciding whether to hold on or to let go. Holding on to the values and people and ideals that matter most while simultaneously letting go of expectations and relationships and dreams that no longer fit or fill us up.
Letting go is rarely easy, but I have learned time and time again, that letting go is the step that actually moves us closer to the life we are meant to live. My life would look nothing like it does today if I had failed to let go of the career I had built, the expectations I had put on myself, the fears that were keeping me stuck, and the space I had poured my entire heart and soul into.
As I sit at my desk for the first time in weeks and for the first time in the New Year, I cannot help but appreciate the ups and the downs that have led me here. Every single setback and hurdle and heartbreak ultimately created space for something so much better to take shape. Every single time I thought I had lost my way, I eventually found an even more amazing path forward.
Life is rarely straight forward and it isn’t always easy, but learning to let go has allowed me to embrace and appreciate the life that is right in front of me. Take a moment and reflect and release anything that might be holding you back before tackling your hopes and dreams for the year ahead.
Questions to ask yourself:
What do you need to release and/or let go of?
What is no longer in alignment with who you want to be?
What is currently holding you back?
What is making you feel stuck?
What do you want to leave behind?
In an effort to embrace letting go of 2022, I have created a free download designed to help you deepen your sense of self and identify your priorities as we head in 2023.