I love this time of year. The trees are starting to bud. Daffodils are everywhere. There is a sense of freshness and renewal in the air. The birds are happy and singing their songs…and so am I! Something within me is beginning to stir and come alive. That’s because Spring is here and you know what that means…it’s time to do some spring cleaning.
Now before I go any further, let me be clear. The type of spring cleaning I am talking about has nothing to do with dusting, vacuuming or cleaning windows, although I could stand to do a little of that around the house but let me stay on track here. (Like how quickly I got off of that subject?) The type of “cleaning house”, purging and letting go I’m talking about is getting rid of the things that keep me stuck and hinder me from shedding losing weight.
I love this quote: “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be. When I let go of what I have, I receive what I need.” ~ Lao Tzu
Letting go is cathartic and so necessary if we are to grow and get better. And so, with that let me pull out my broom and start sweeping away the things that are keeping me stuck and blocking my weight loss progress.
10 Things I Am Letting Go Of
1). I’m Letting Go Of Negativity – what you think about you bring about. My life is a blessing. I have so much to be thankful and grateful for. Rather than moaning, groaning and complaining I am making it a practice to count my blessings. I’m choosing to operate from the “glass half full” standpoint. When I look at my life from this perspective the possibilities become endless!
2). I’m Letting Go Of Perfectionism – perfectionism keeps me in a vicious cycle of excuses and stuck in a state of inactivity. I can’t afford that…and neither can you! It closes the door to opportunities for improvement. Perfect is the enemy of good and I am choosing to believe that any good I do for my body is good enough. Who needs to be perfect?
3). I’m Letting Go Of Excuses – excuses are rationalizations that I come up with to make myself feel better about not doing the things I want or need to do for my weight loss or anything else for that matter. Excuses are nothing but glorified lies we tell ourselves. I’m choosing to honor and love myself enough to stop lying to myself.
4). I’m Letting Go Of Procrastination – this is a biggie! I might need some heavy duty cleaning agents to help me get rid of this one! I’m trying to practice this saying I came up with a few years ago. Stop living your life as if you have the rest of your life to live! Instead, I’m learning to live and do in the present moment and get stuff done sooner than later. What helps me to stay on track is to schedule everything. If it’s written down…then I’ll get it done!
5). I’m Letting Go Of The Past – I’m going to leave this one right there…where it belongs…because there is nothing to be gained from living in the past. I am choosing to learn from my mistakes and missteps and then get to steppin’.
6). I’m Letting Go Of Expectations – I really can’t afford to keep this one around! Having unrealistic expectations lead to disappointment and make me feel like all of my hard work was is for nothing. That is a lie I no longer chose to tell myself. I’m going to stop expecting specific results and learn to embrace and appreciate the results that show up. I’m going to keep an open mind and let go of all preconceived notions.
7). I’m Letting Go Of Clutter – what I’ve come to realize is that clutter creates chaos in my mind, body and, spirit, which leaves me feeling overwhelmed, out of control and exhausted. It actually zaps my energy. I am working on clearing the clutter from my life so I can build a firm foundation for continuing my weight loss journey. Why? Well because the process of losing weight is about “letting go” of unhealthy habits, of a sedentary lifestyle and yes, also clutter.
8). I’m Letting Go Of My Comfort Zone – In order for me to grow, I realize I have to step out of my comfort zone and do the very things that make me feel uncomfortable. I have to embrace the notion of being comfortable with being uncomfortable. This is the only way for me to be free to achieve and accomplish more.
9). I’m Letting Go Of Stress – I’ve been working hard on this one. I’ve been doing things that keep me calm and bring me joy. One of the things that really helps me to manage my stress is having my quiet time in the mornings, as I shared in this post. I’m telling you…it has made ALL of the difference in the world! Also by learning to stay in the present, I’m less likely to stress over things that are not in my control. There’s no stress in the present moment. It’s only thoughts of the past and the future that cause anxiety.
10). I’m Letting Go Of Busyness – I’m learning to set all kinds of boundaries to protect my time from both others and myself. I do this by asking, does what you are preparing to do line up with your values and goals? If not, that’s an indication that I am short changing myself and I need to rethink this activity. What this boils down to is making myself and my weight loss a priority.
Your Turn To Share
What baggage are you carrying around? What do you need to let go of so you can be free to grow? Share your comments below.