Making Space for Yourself: Letting It All Go

Artwork: “Letting Go” by Tom Shropshire

Making Space for Yourself: Letting It All Go

Sometimes, we just have to let it all go.

Let go of lingering angsts, held narratives, the stories and beliefs we carry around day after day, the slights from yesterday or last week, and the worries we haven’t yet tackled but use as a whip against ourselves until we do. Our minds and bodies become tense and rigid by holding onto things too tightly and for too long – whether it is stress, memories, belongings, or unresolved emotions. Over time, the effects can be devastating. We risk becoming hardened, and trapped in the loop of overdoing, worrying, and gnashing our teeth over the small and large events of life.

It's as if we lose ourselves in the mindlessness of day-to-day living – acquiring and holding onto thoughts, stories, ideas, judgments, things, possessions, and clutter. Then once we are at capacity – emotional overwhelm, physical discomfort, pain or illness tell us it is time to let it all go – allowing us to make room, and create space to find ourselves again.