Prompt 5: Let Go {via Reverb 10}
"What (or whom) did you let go of this year? Why?" (Author: Alice Bradley)
This question reminds me of a writing exercise I did earlier this year where I had to write a letter from my older-self to myself now. At first it felt difficult, but as I opened myself to the idea, the words seemed to flow, and it turned out to be very cathartic and validating. Here is what my older-self had to say about letting go...
"You are barrelling through each day just trying to put it to an end, then waking up and doing it all again. There's no way you can keep up with all the demands, and you know this isn't how you want your life to go. It's not how I want it to go for you either. That is why you must stop. Just stop. Stop, and do nothing. Nothing. All the things they say are true---you won't get to the end of your life and wish you had cleaned the bathroom one more time. You won't remember what it was all those people were yammering about on Facebook. It won't matter. What will matter is that you stopped and looked. Looked at the world around you, the people around you, yourself. Be kind to yourself. Stop sweating all the details. Continue learning to let go. Let life Be. Let others Be. And most importantly, let yourself Be. Don't be so disappointed when things don't go as planned. They rarely do. You can always count on change. Always. Do not waste your time and energy on people who do not care for you or treat you well. It is a drain on you and robs you of yourself. As hard as it may be, let those people go and don't look back."
Thank you older-self. That's definitely easier said than done, but it's a good reminder that letting go---of roles, bad relationships, a clean house---is important for the health and well-being of my I-always-want-to-be-in-control-and-have-everything-figured-out self. Here's to letting go!
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