What Are You Holding Too Tightly?
Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing the monkey bars. You have to let go at some point, in order to move forward. C.S. Lewis
You must clear out what you don’t want, to make room for what you do want to arrive. Bryant McGill
Let’s begin by asking ourselves, “What are we holding onto in our bodies, minds, and spirits that we need to let go? These are some things we might have a propensity to tightly grasp:
- Stress
- Guilt
- Negativity
- Shame
- Fear
- Perfection
- Control
- Resentment
- Self-Righteousness
- Success
- Power
- Popularity
- Wealth
- ________________ (Fill in the blank)
What are you holding deep within you that is not serving you well? There can often be a metaphorical weight sitting on our chest that we can remove if we will just breathe, trust, and let go. What is it that you internalize that needs to be externalized? Let me be clear that anger, guilt, stress, fear, and other emotional responses can serve us well, because they are important feelings that need to be recognized and felt as we respond to certain situations we face in life. Our feelings are what it means to be alive and to be human. When we go through various seasons of difficulty in life, such as the death of a loved one or a break-up, our feelings are important to befriend, express, release, and honor. However, if we have a tendency to always be stuck in a pattern of being negative or wanting to be perfect, then we really need to explore ways we can release these particular internal go-to responses that do not bring life or joy to our spirit.
Please join me in the following meditation. Sit down in a chair or on the floor and place your hands palms up on your thighs.
- Allow your thumbs to touch your index fingers. Breathe in peace and hope and breathe out your worries and fears
- Move your thumbs to your middle fingers. Breathe in grace and love and breathe out your judgment of others and yourself.
- Next, let your thumbs move to your ring fingers. Breathe in acceptance of life as it is and breathe out your need to be perfect.
- Finally, let your thumbs touch your pinky fingers. Breathe in stillness and calmness and breathe out the load and schedule you are carrying today.
Repeat this breathing exercise as many times as you need to in order to feel like you are moving closer to letting go of some of the things that you no longer need to shoulder and hold.
Let’s intentionally work on releasing the things that are not serving us well,
Christy
