The art of letting go.

Let me fill you in on a secret. I’ve moved twice within the last year and both times I refused to purge my closet. I told myself “I have so much to pack” “I don’t have time for this” “And I’ll do it later.” This was pure avoidance, if I was being honest with myself I didn’t want to clean out my closet, it’s a task I’ve always struggled with  (in a non-hoarder type of way) because I think I’ll learn to like an article of clothing again, fit into it again, or hold onto an outfit for sentimental value.

By the time it becomes 100% necessary to clean out my closet I feel overwhelmed and begin to question every fashion choice I’ve ever made. 

You could say I have a hard time letting go. 

Let’s dive into what letting go means for you and me. 

A quick Google search of “what does it mean to let go” is answered by Oxford Languages: “to relinquish one’s grip on someone or something.” 

Woof. 

What happens when we keep a tight grip on something, be it a relationship, a job, an article of clothing, an emotion, a memory, you name it, is that we don’t give it room to breathe and grow to morph with us. We don’t account for how we have changed since acquiring the thing we’re tightly gripping. It brings us stress, chaos, conflict, confusion, and ultimately lacks alignment. 

Letting go, on the other hand, frees us up to live in the now, choose new opportunities, create new memories, foster new relationships, and provide emotional expansion. 

If you want to learn to embrace letting go and invite what’s meant for you now into your life, examine your environments, relationships, and belongings with curiosity and openness. Here are some questions to consider asking: 

• “how do I feel when I wear this piece of clothing?”

• “do I enjoy spending time with this person? Do I value what they bring to my life?” 

• “is the way my home is decorated bringing me joy?”

• “do I feel empowered when I respond to a situation this way?” 

If the answer to these questions is vague, keep asking questions until you find more clarity. If the answer is a resounding ‘NO’ then it’s time to change the dynamic or to relinquish your grip and let go.

Letting go can create a nervous system response of fear, avoidance, and anxiety.

If that’s you, that’s ok. 

Create safety for yourself and begin to embrace the discomfort as you let go of what is no longer serving you. The results will be magical.