In many ways, life is a series of endings and beginnings. Each year of your life is like a chapter. You write in the pages throughout the months, beginning a new chapter with each new year.
It’s one reason why we’re obsessed with new year’s resolutions!
If you’ve created new year’s resolutions, how are you progressing? Are you sticking with your daily habits?
…Or do you feel like you’re floundering in quicksand?
If you feel like you’re floundering in quicksand, there are 3 things that could be weighing you down… that you may be holding onto without being aware of it. This could be impeding your forward movement.
The simple answer would be to let go… But it’s not always that easy.
And so you hold on, creating more struggle as you labor at your resolutions.
The new year is fresh. You have time to manifest the year you desire with greater ease. I’ll share three common things that can weigh you down and tips for how to let go, so you can embrace a new beginning for you and your goals in 2021.
Why You Struggle With Letting Go
Humans often have a strange tendency to hold onto things — even when they hurt us.
Whether it’s a bad breakup, or a friend wronged you, or when you make a mistake, you may struggle with letting it go.
Why do we do this?
Perhaps it’s because we prefer to blame someone or something else for our hardships. Maybe it’s an excuse not to try new things in order to reduce your risk of getting hurt. Or perhaps you identify with your pain and don’t know how to move on from it.
Whatever you’re holding onto is holding you back. Hold on for long enough, and you do more than diminish your personal growth. You may also experience:
- Anger
- Resentment
- Fear
- Self-doubt
- Low self-worth
- Self-sabotaging behaviors
These emotional responses can impede you from fulfilling your goals this year. They sap your energy, motivation and excitement for life.
How can you strive for more love and joy when your heart carries self-doubt?
How can you love yourself when your inner critic has the loudest voice?
How can you see the opportunities available to you when fear clouds your vision?
Your new year’s resolutions become more wishful thinking than anything — a fleeting desire. You have neither the energy or drive to work on your goals. Just getting through each day can feel like a struggle.
Yet when you let go of what weighs you down, you open yourself to abundance. You can more fully experience…
A new year.
A new beginning.
A new opportunity to become the woman you want to be and fulfill your resolutions this year.
And it starts with letting go.
To experience greater ease as you work on your resolutions, let go of the three things that weigh you down. Here’s how…
Let Go Of These 3 Things to Embrace Your New Beginning With Greater Ease
#1 Let Go of Clutter
If you’re not making progress with your resolutions, and you’re surrounded by physical clutter… address your clutter first.
I know what you might be thinking… That’s too simple.
After all, stacks of paper on your desk, and piled-up dishes, and overflowing laundry hampers are minor things. What do they have to do with helping you let go and embrace a new beginning?
Clutter is a physical reminder of unfinished tasks. How can you focus on a new goal when household chores are stealing your attention at every turn? When you declutter your space, you allow for more space and energy to flow into your life.
Decluttering your physical space can also be a precursor to letting go of your emotional clutter. Decluttering your possessions is about removing what no longer serves you or adds meaning to your life.
Similarly, the pandemic may have spurned negative emotional clutter you still carry today. This is a new year and yet, this clutter may continue to occupy space in your heart and mind. Accepting the current situation and letting go of any emotional clutter — even as the pandemic continues to evolve — can help you create space for manifesting your values and goals in 2021.
Try scheduling a weekend for your decluttering project. You can start small with your closet or even a drawer. If you want to challenge yourself, try going through your entire home, and you’re sure to feel more air and lightness when you finish.
#2 Let Go of Shame and Guilt
Turning the page to a new chapter is challenging when you’re fixated on the pages you’ve already written.
Think of it this way…
Like decluttering your space, letting go of the emotions that keep you down helps create new space for opportunities to lift you.
Often, the best start to letting go is forgiveness.
Chances are, this isn’t the first time you’ve set a new year’s resolution. Maybe you’ve set the same resolution more than once because you haven’t fully completed it yet.
You might blame yourself for falling short. You feel guilty for not taking better care of yourself. You bear shame because you feel like you could’ve made better choices.
That’s in the past now.
It’s time to forgive yourself.
And I’m serious! Do it right now. Go to the mirror. Look at yourself and say, I forgive you.
However, words are not enough.
Forgiveness is about taking action. And this is often the hardest part. Because everyday, you have a choice to make: to fall prey to your negative emotions or to advocate for the woman you want to become. Forgiveness is choosing the latter.
- You choose to forgive yourself when you take care of yourself.
- You choose to forgive yourself when you work on your goals.
- You choose to forgive yourself when you accept what has passed and to feel blessed in the present.
The choices you’ve made in the past made you into the woman you are today. And the choices you make today will help you become the woman you want to be.
Remember to also forgive yourself in the future. We all make mistakes — it’s inevitable. You might skip a day with a daily habit you’re trying to develop because you’re busy or exhausted.
It’s okay. Forgive yourself.
Don’t let guilt and shame stop you from sparking beautiful change within. Forgiveness is the bridge that will help you cross into the life you’ve always desired.
#3 Let Go of What You Cannot Control
If you have felt like you were reeling in response to all the crazy changes from the pandemic, you’re not alone.
The pandemic has disrupted all of our daily lives and livelihoods. Forget about new year’s resolutions — many women have been figuring out how to stay safe and provide for their families. Even now, you might be coping with the new developments surrounding the virus.
This pandemic is beyond your control. Focusing on what should happen or what you wish would happen is wasted energy.
But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless.
The serenity prayer is a reminder that you always have a choice, regardless of your current circumstances:
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
courage to change the things I can,
and wisdom to know the difference
You always have a choice with what you do and how you react. You can choose to not like your current circumstances and not do anything about it.
Or you can take action.
Achieving your resolutions for 2021 is fully within your power. Your mindset and your daily habits are choices you make every day that can either move you forward or steer you away from your goals.
A family emergency may have disrupted your daily habit streak. That was out of your control. What is within your control is showing up for yourself the next day, ready to once again work toward your goals.
“There is only the moment, the choices you make in the moment, and your commitment to make the best choices for yourself today,” said Dr. Lori Rylan.
Let go of what you cannot change. Do what is within your power today so that you can attend to 2021 with a dedication to growth, joy, and love.
Let go of what you cannot change. Do what is within your power today so that you can attend to 2021 with a dedication to growth, joy, and love. Share on XThe beautiful part about life is that you never have to go through it alone. If you can be vulnerable and open yourself to outside support, you will find the resources you need to make positive and lasting changes in your life.
What’s one thing you’re letting go, so you can kickstart 2021 feeling empowered? I’ll start: I’m saying goodbye to feeling guilty about taking time for me and my well-being! Share YOUR answer in the comments below.
