I want to be creative, feel confident in who I am, and have inner calm. I want to accept failures, learn from them, and then move ahead. Finding the path to do this and finding inner peace began, for me, with saying, “I am letting go.”
Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.
— Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1622) He became Bishop of Geneva in 1602.
His motto was, “He who preaches with love, preaches effectively.”
My default mode throughout my life has been like this: In the mornings, I find it hard to settle down and not let all the things I need to do in a day make me anxious. I get upset when too many little chores interfere with what I have planned to accomplish. Most small chores are not even important, but if I feel like I need to do them I can’t concentrate on the important projects.
The only way I could relax is to either do nothing or decide on just ONE thing and concentrate on that. Doing only one thing is not necessarily bad, but when I do that, everything else in my life gets left behind. Sometimes I tell myself if tasks take less than a few minutes, I can go ahead and do them so I can mark them off my list. Yet—those few minutes can begin to add up in time, in spent energy, and focus.
I would like to enjoy the moments, the process, the journey without all the other stuff weighing on me. I want to see my creative endeavors take shape, to finish them, and move on to new ones.
Feel Refreshed
How does one wake up feeling refreshed and eager to see what can be accomplished creatively each day? How do we wake up in the morning to a world of possibilities rather than a day of lists and “have to dos?” I should be able to create my day the way I want. I can choose to slow down, to relax, and to not be anxious. How do I stop being my own roadblock?
Seeing Possibilities
The solution begins with letting go. Several months ago, I started practicing yoga every morning. The instructor in the video uses the mantra, “I am letting go” — of tension, responsibilities, judgements, and negative self-talk. By beginning each day with a sense of inner peace, I find that I feel calmer throughout the day. I hardly noticed at first, but after a few months I realized that I was generally more relaxed and peaceful all day. When I feel myself getting tense or flustered, I breathe and say, “I am letting go.”
I know that sounds too easy. I would not believe it, except it happened to me. The hard part was committing to getting up early enough every day to practice yoga. The yoga made my muscles feel relaxed and my body enjoyed the stretch every morning. This made the effort worthwhile—and the increased sense of calm was an unexpected and welcomed side effect. In turn, a calmer mental attitude enabled me to focus on projects with more clarity.
I am letting go . . .
of how I imagine life “should” be
of the past
of the fear of change
of perfection
of worrying about what other people think
of insecurities
of unrealistic expectations
of comparing myself to others
To let go does not mean to get rid of. To let go means to let be.
When we let be with compassion, things come and go on their own.
— Jack Kornfield (b. 1945) American author and teacher
Be good to yourself and give yourself permission to let things go. Let them be. Start creating new emotional paths and begin new inner conversations. Be important enough to yourself to take time for you. Relax, play, create, exercise, and meditate. It won’t happen all at once, but you will begin to notice a change when you develop the habit of beginning the day with yoga or intentional time to meditate or pray.
Trust the process of taking baby steps in your life to create the life you want. Believe in yourself and remain open to new possibilities in your life. Repeat the phrase, “I am letting go.” Begin finding ways to let go of things that upset inner peace, cause anxiety, and hinder creativity.
Here is a link to a yoga video that I have found very helpful.
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What are things you need to learn to let go of? Do you have a special phrase or mantra that helps give you a sense of calm?
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