Sometimes we find ourselves tightly wound to our beliefs, remembering who hurt us, who we are angry with, and who disappointed us.
We hold grudges, cling onto resentments, and feel tightly wound and bound to our opinions and perspectives. It’s as if the needle is stuck in a record groove. From this place, we often times feel trapped, small, and paralyzed by our own limitations. We try to control events and people around us, oftentimes, with little progress. Our mind runs wild with story after story. If we can control things outside ourselves, we start to believe, we will be safe.
We realize we can’t let go.
Fall is a beautiful time of year that reminds us to return back slowly to ourselves and practice the art of letting go. In finding some time, even ten minutes a day, to sit with ourselves and be quiet, we are able to slow down. Oftentimes, we are able to lose the story that can circulate within us-that life has to be stressful and time is always limited. Our inner world grows and we sense a little bit of freedom. To allow, even for a moment, that perhaps the story we tell ourselves is not entirely the truth. Being still, for however long, allows us to take a deep breath and return back to inner mindfulness. When we slow down, and just allow time to be with ourselves, with compassion and kindness, life opens up. We let go and realize that, there is no controlling life-ourselves or others.
Written by Melissa Divaris Thompson, LMFT, of Embracing Joy.