Hey, All!
If you read my recent post Embracing Minimalism, consider this a part two or continuation of the topic from that article. It definitely relates, and is a big part of the process I discussed in detail last week. The art of letting go has definitely been a concept that surprised me.
Zen Habits has a great article on the concept of letting go. You can check it out here.
It may come as no surprise that in starting the process to simplify my life, beginning with my mindset and leading to a sort of “purge” in my physical world, I would come across at least a few things that I had a pretty hard time letting go of.
In life, it’s easy to get entangled in the threads of attachment – clinging to either relationships, possessions or even identities on the quest for fulfillment or even security.
It’s becoming more and more apparent to me that the freedom I’m seeking in my life is not in holding on tightly to these things, but actually in letting them go and ultimately surrendering my control.
I’ve had this concept on my mind a lot lately – that if I want to receive the life I’m working toward, or anything for that matter, that I must first give. And this process has definitely been a way for me to give.
I’m seeing more and more the importance of embracing the ever-changing flow of life.
I find that I’ve often clung to the past, and this became even more obvious to me when I started going through the things that I had stuffed in my closets.
As things were pulled out, it would remind me of something from my past, and it was a challenging project that forced me to delve deep into my mind and really look at why I had such an attachment to these objects in the first place.
Even more surprising, was how much of these emotions that were brought up in connection to an object I had, weren’t even positive.
I can’t believe how much I held onto simply because it was given to me by someone so now I had an obligation to keep it out of guilt.
So in this blog post, I wanted to explore this concept of how there’s great power in letting go.
By examining how to release attachments and how by doing so can have a transformative power that ultimately leads to greater peace, joy, and even liberation.
Understanding and Releasing Attachments:
Ever wonder why we develop such attachments in the first place? I have!
In my effort to explain to myself why this was the case in my own life, I realized that these attachments were created from bonds that either tethered me to people, possessions, or even outcomes and that they tended to weave emotion into the attachment in the form of desire, fear, or the outcome of the experience or perception the attachment resulted from.
I can definitely say a lot of my own attachments have at one point or another brought some form of temporary comfort or pleasure, but by holding onto the ones that weren’t necessarily healthy or were no longer serving me or the life I’m trying to create, I learned they also carry the potential for suffering or simply limiting me from becoming more.
A hard truth I had to face recently was just how much I clung to or was dependent on external circumstances or “objects” for a sense of worth or even identity.
The Illusion of Control | It’s a Mindset:
It seems the more I evaluated why I was attached in an emotional way to the things I was going through as I worked on cleaning out my home, that there was almost this illusion of control at the heart of the attachments. A false belief that I could manipulate my life to meet a desire or expectation by holding onto things that didn’t actually serve a purpose in bettering my life.
The more I tried to control things, it seems the more I “collected” then ultimately “hid” behind a closed closet door or even stuffed in the back of a drawer.
Yes, I’m now attempting to create a new life, so in extension there’s a control I need to muster in my mindset in order to achieve the things I’m dreaming to achieve, but It’s incredible how much I’ve learned that in order for me to make positive change, it’s not been by control but actually in relinquishing control and surrendering to the change life throws my way, that I am able to open myself up to the possibility of greater peace, acceptance, and even serenity.
The Benefits of Letting Go Beyond Self Improvement:
So beyond what I’ve already touched on, I’ve found there’s been some wonderful benefits found after I’ve managed to “let go” of these objects and in extension, unhealthy attachments.
By embracing this “art of letting go”, I’ve been able to create space for new possibilities and opportunities to manifest.
Some of the key benefits I’ve found are as follows:
- Freedom from Suffering: By working through the emotions that were knowingly or even surprisingly attached to these objects in my life, I found there’s a sense of freedom from any suffering that that object or the memories floating around it. By letting these things go, I no longer need to be reminded of any bad experiences.
- Greater Resilience and Adaptability: By letting go, it’s helped create a better resilience or adaptability. I found the more I did it, the easier it was.
- Deeper Relationships: By releasing attachments, we can cultivate deeper, more authentic relationships based on love, acceptance, and mutual respect, rather than dependency or expectation.
- Heightened Creativity and Innovation: Letting go of fixed ideas and emotional attachments has brought an ability to be more creative and open to new possibilities.
- Enhanced Presence and Mindfulness: By releasing attachments to anything in my home that doesn’t bring me joy, or serve me in a practical way, i’ve felt a shift in my life to where I’m now able to be more fully in the moment more, as I’m no longer affected by the clutter around me or the symbolistic “hiding” that those objects seemed to represent. I don’t have to worry about the burden of past regrets.
Practicing the Art of Letting Go:
I find it important to add that letting go has not been a one-time event, and is an ongoing process. It’s taken practice, and often I’ve had to leave things alone and address them later a few times before I’m able to make a decision.
It’s definitely been challenging and oftentimes uncomfortable.
But as I’ve continued to work on this concept, it seems to get easier. And the more I’ve let go, the more liberated I feel.
Here are some of the methods I’ve had to use in order to delve into letting go in the first place:
- Cultivate Mindfulness: I’ve mentioned this one a lot, as mindfulness has really become so important to me because I see it work time and time again in my life. By being able to be more aware in general, really has helped me to observe my thoughts, emotions, and the connection to the attachments I’ve formed. It’s through this practice that I was able to face some of the uncomfortable memories or whatever it was an attachment brought up inside me. And it’s also what’s been what allows me to make a decision in keeping that item, or letting go.
- Practice Non-Attachment: I’ve had to practice non-attachement in the way of letting go of expectations, desires, or outcomes and instead embrace the present moment as it unfolds, without clinging to the past or using the “what-if” scenario for the future.
- Release Physical Clutter: As mentioned in my last post, this whole process started because of the need to declutter. By doing so in both my mind and my home, i’ve been able to see what possessions no longer serve a purpose or bring joy. This in extension has created space and ultimately more freedom in my environment and my life in general.
- Forgive Yourself and Others: As I’ve dug up the “past” in essence, this process has forced me to practice forgiveness and release resentments or grudges (either towards myself or others) that I didn’t realize I was holding onto. By facing these things, objects or otherwise, then letting go of what isn’t working in the life I’m creating, allows me to heal and move forward in a more positive way.
- Embrace Impermanence: The biggest thing that I have been pleasantly surprised to have show itself in this process is the idea that ALL things- our thoughts, feelings, relationships, and experiences- are ALWAYS changing. By allowing myself to accept this, the greater my ability to grow.
Conclusion:
Our world is almost defined by the materialistic collection of “things” because of consumerism.
Marketing is often specifically designed to create an emotion in order to drive sales.
But whatever the reason things come into our lives and become something that we’re emotionally attached to, I’ve found it’s important to remember what your goals or aspirations are and to not allow any unhealthy attachments to confine or limit your perceptions of beliefs.
It’s been an eye opening endeavor to say the least but it’s been incredible to see that by letting go of some of these attachments, I’ve been able to face things I didn’t even know needed to be faced.
As we practice the art of letting go, we discover that true liberation arises not from holding on tightly but from releasing our grip and allowing life to unfold with grace, spontaneity, and joy.
May we all find the courage and wisdom to let go of that which no longer serves us and embrace the boundless freedom and possibility that awaits on the other side.
Let me know what benefits you’ve encountered if you’ve started the process of decluttering your home! Whatever your reasons. I’d love to hear from you!
Leave a comment below.