The universe has blessed humanity with the gift of consciousness – an awareness of body and mind; an understanding of what lies beyond our selves. As conscious creatures of Mother Earth, we are able to explore the world in a way that others cannot. We experience love and passion, pride and contentment, motivation to make a difference, and determination to better ourselves.
However, with the gift of consciousness, we also experience hatred and disdain, apathy and anxiousness, anger and remorse. Even amongst a world full of passion and pleasure, our mind often fixates on these negative emotions that are toxic to our growth and development into the happy and accepting beings we are meant to become.
Throughout my life I have experienced both anxiety and depression. During these negative states of mind, I often hold on to people, places, memories, and habits that no longer serve my wellbeing. We will all make mistakes in our lifetime – it’s what allows us to grow; it’s what makes us human. But knowing when it’s time to release these aspects of our lives are what will propel us into a better and brighter future.
Here are seven simple and effective ways to just LET GO.
Donate your clothes
Do you ever keep an old sweater because it belonged to an old partner of yours? What about that matching t-shirt you bought with a friend whom you had a falling out with? Do you have extra clothes lying around that you don’t wear anymore, but are holding onto for sentiment? Getting rid of unnecessary clothing, and other material possessions for that matter, can help to release the body, mind, and spirit from old attachments, allowing you to move forward with your journey.
Keep a journal
Yes, adults can keep a journal too. Journaling is one of my favourite ways to gain insight on what I need to welcome into my life, and what I need to release. It is a way to connect with your Source – the connection between all life and consciousness. Journaling allows us to get our thoughts out onto paper freely without judgment. Not sure how to start? You can brain dump – that is just start writing. Let everything you need to say out on the page. You can make note of what has happened throughout the day or week, making note of changing emotions or how certain events made you feel. You can ask yourself a question: What do I need to release? What am I grateful for? What opportunities have presented themselves to me? What habits would I like to start, stop, and continue? The possibilities are endless! Ask yourself a question and wait for the answer – your Source is the connection to all the answers you are looking for, we just need to get quiet and listen.
Get creative
Paint, dance, sing, write, colour, craft, create. Humanity has been blessed with the power of self-expression. Using our creativity can allow us to release events, toxic people, and negative emotions. We can observe these set backs from a different perspective, while allowing others to gain insight on our lives as well. We can use these events as an inspiration for our creativity. In doing so, we allow ourselves to accept our past or worries of the future, and find peace in the present.
Work it out
Sometimes we need to sweat it out. Holding onto an argument? Take it out on the treadmill, the punching bag, free weights, the spin bike. Take it out and leave it there. Not only will you feel an immense sense of relief, but you’ll be doing your body a favour as well. Exercise releases endorphins to make your body feel GOOD. It stimulates blood flow and increases your breathing, ultimately leading to a clearer, calmer you.
Yoga
Finding a regular yoga practice is an amazing way to release what no longer serves you. Whether we express our emotions or not, they will always find a way to manifest in our bodies. Opening our hearts and hips can release powerful emotions that have been settled in our tissues. Back bends and hip openers are the key here. Some of my favourites include pigeon, standing back bend, dancer’s pose, and bow pose.
While these poses help to release stored emotions from our tissues, other poses can aid in awareness of these emotions and allow us to mindfully release these emotions if they no longer serve us. Postures that compress the throat build up energy at the throat chakra; when the pose is released, the energy is able to flow from the lower chakras to our crown. We become aware of these emotions and can allow ourselves to let them go. Some of these postures could include shoulder stand, plough, and child’s pose.
Just breathe
Inhale what you need, exhale what you don’t. While yoga aids in the uprooting and release of emotions, meditation can improve our awareness of self. As conscious beings, it is easy to become entangled in a web of negativity. Meditation allows us to see our thoughts objectively. We can become the observer. By observing our thoughts, we begin to understand that we are NOT our thoughts; we can change our thoughts, perspectives, and get very clear on what we need to invite into our lives and what must be released. Meditation is simple – all you need is a quiet space to focus on your breathing.
Let me be clear – meditation is NOT erasing your thoughts from your mind. Meditation is focusing on ONE thing – your breath, a phrase, etc. Close your eyes and focus on each inhale and exhale. When you find your mind beginning to wander, notice these thoughts and then return focus to your breath. Being aware of our thoughts while they are happening empowers us to take control of our emotional wellbeing, and make decisions based on awareness.
Set Intentions
There is power in belief. By setting intentions for ourselves, we invite what we need into our lives. We can also mindfully set an intention to release what no longer serves us – a habit, an old friend, a self-doubt, you name it. Create a ritual for yourself where you set intentions daily, weekly, and monthly. Watch how these intentions manifest as things, people, and ideas float in and out of your life.
So my friends, I challenge you to take the steps to becoming a better you. Let go of what does not serve you, and welcome in what does.
In Love & Light,
Ally