To grow, one can’t simply manifest it with the spoken word. It requires some action as well. The Choosing to Series will be a collection of blogs, posted once a month, on choosing to intentionally focus on one area of improvement, in order to better mental health and overall happiness. It’s difficult to unwind when our brains won’t turn off. Creating additional stress and anxiety that could possibly be avoided. We shouldn’t allow the negativity trapped in our mind to hold us hostage and handicap us when it comes to living. We have to meet the negativity head on and show it who’s really in charge. The person in charge is you. You can choose to be the pilot of your life. Manifest positivity, take action, and choose to be better than yesterday.

In this post, we’re talking about letting it go. What’s great about this topic is that it can and will mean different things to different people. For me, letting it go refers to no longer letting my fears conquer my actions. It means doing instead of getting cold feet, not worrying about the what ifs when I go to hit share on a new post, not dwelling on outcomes that only live in my head, not beating myself up for choosing something that brings me immediate joy, like pizza, instead of the option that is better long-term. It means saying no and not feeling guilty about it. Take a moment to think about what let it go means to you. It can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be.

Of course, letting go isn’t as easy as we would hope. And honestly, this is okay. It allows us to learn more about ourselves and to grow. Letting go also isn’t something that magically happens overnight or in a matter of days. It’s something you have to practice and work on every day.

Tips on How to Let Go

One way of letting go is by counting to 3 in your head or out loud, and then saying, “let it go”. Sometimes repeating it over and over until I find something else to focus on. Believe it or not, this method actually does help me relax. Especially with situations and conflicts I can’t control. It’s a reminder that no matter what, whatever happens, is going to happen. All I can do is hope for the best and that when it’s over, I will be okay. Going into a situation with a negative headspace brings negative energy. Not just for you to notice, but for others to notice as well. Radiate positive energy to receive it back.

Another way I recently started letting go is by writing out my problems, or things I’m self-conscious about. I’m sure we all know about journaling and how writing can help bring you a peace of mind. I write down all the days of the week, and then choose a problem area I want to focus on each of those days. For example, one day last week was focused on body image. For that day, I chose one thing I don’t like about my body and the reason why. It was actually surprising how hard it was to think of the why. This isn’t to try to improve on these negative things or change them right away. It’s so I can understand why I feel the way I do about them. Because understanding the why will lead to possible solutions, healing, and eventually letting it go. After writing out my dislike and the why, I wrote down what I do like about my body and why I like it.

Balance is key. Where there is negativity, there needs to be something positive. And by seeing the two side by side, it made my dislike seem insignificant. I challenge you to do the same, or try something similar, and see how your perspective changes.

It’s important to remember that there is no one fix to letting things go. And as stated earlier, it will take time to get to the point of feeling you’ve overcome this obstacle. I know I haven’t reached that point yet. Be patient with yourself and choose to be intentional with your definition of letting it go and ways you can let the trend grow in your life. It’s also important to note that you won’t change unless you truly want to. You’ll notice a difference in your attitude and outlook on life when you decide to take action and not let the things out of your control, control you. But be reminded that it’s okay if a situation, or something someone said bothers you. We’re human and these emotions we feel on a regular basis are normal. You can’t fix everything, and you can’t always be happy. But you can choose to try your best every day and that is truly enough.

Until next time,

April at Choosing to Bloom