It doesn't have to be hard to let go
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Last week I wrote about letting go of physical clutter and emotional clutter. (If you missed it, you can check that out here.)
In addition to letting go of the things that clutter your environment, and the people and situations that drain your energy, I am thinking about the concept of letting go in a bigger, broader way.
Consider this question:
What are you holding onto in your life and work that it may be time to let go of?
Perhaps you are holding onto the way your business is structured, because you have always worked that way, or because that’s the way everyone else does it.
Perhaps you are holding on to a seasonal ritual with family or friends because that’s what you always do, or because you think that’s what people expect you to do.
Perhaps you live — or work — in a place that does not make you happy anymore (or maybe has never made you happy), because it feels too hard to make a change.
Even if these examples do not resonate specifically for you, sit with the question and see if something comes to mind.
You deserve to be happy!
If you realize you have been holding on to something that is not ideal, your next thought may be, “Sure, but it’s ok.”
Or, you may think something like, “But what can I do about it?” or ”I don’t want to shake things up.”
I believe that life is too precious to compromise on your happiness.
You may not be considering that, by tolerating something that’s not working, or resisting making a change, you pay a price.
The energy you bring to your day-to-day life is dampened, dulled.
You may not even be consciously aware of the ways it adds stress, makes you feel pressured, causes frustration, or simply contributes to subtle discontentment.
Living that way is not fun for you, and it limits everything you do.
If one or more things come to mind, consider the upside of initiating a change.
When you let go, new possibilities show up
When you loosen your grip on maintaining the thing that you have been convinced is the way it has to be, or loosen your grip on the thing you now are aware you’ve been tolerating, things will shift.
Possibilities you may never have considered are likely to feel real.
So, what can it look like to loosen your grip?
1. Get curious!
Ask yourself questions like:
Why have I been holding tight to the belief that the way I run my business has to be the same as it has been? What could a different business model look like?
What beliefs might I let go of about my role in our annual family gatherings?
What would an ideal location be for me to feel happy every day? Do I need to stay in this city?
What might working for another company, or taking on a new or bigger role, be like?
What am I afraid of? What’s the worst possible outcome of a change? What’s the best possible outcome?
What if I doubted myself less and showed up in a bigger way?
2. Consider small steps to take.
Having identified something you want to change, and getting curious to open insights and ideas, it is time to take action.
(By the way, action is a great antidote to fear. The act of starting will build enthusiasm and reduce hesitation and doubt!)
Your initial action might be to talk to people who have done the thing you are considering, and learn from their experience.
You can generate lists of possibilities and see which are the most appealing, so you can begin to test them.
You can set a vision of that new thing already having happened. Holding that vision will make you feel excited and motivated to take ongoing steps in that direction.
3. Build momentum.
Having put a plan in motion, stay committed to yourself — and keep the curiosity going.
You are likely to adjust your initial ideas and expand or redefine your vision as new possibilities, resources, and supporters show up.
As you pursue the thing your heart asked for, you are sure to show up more fully and bring more boldness into the ways you approach your life.
That’s what living big is all about.
Feel free to let me know about the change you feel called to consider, or one that you are in the midst of now. It’s easy — just email me.
