Have you ever noticed how tightly we can hold onto things?
We hold on to worries and we hold on to mistakes.
And we often hold onto expectations of how we think life should be.
And sometimes we even hold onto versions of ourselves that no longer fit who we are today.
And we often think that holding on keeps us safe.
But sometimes holding on is the very thing that's keeping us stuck.
And letting go doesn't mean giving up,
And it doesn't mean that pretending something didn't happen,
And it doesn't mean that.
.
.
What has happened wasn't important.
It just means that we're no longer allowing it to control this moment.
So,
Think about holding a heavy bag for a few minutes,
It might not seem so bad,
But after an hour,
Or a day,
Or even years,
That weight of that bag,
That becomes exhausting,
It becomes tiring.
I think one of the most compassionate things that we can do is just put the bag down.
Just gently lay it down on the ground.
Let it rest.
Let us rest.
Let our hands go.
Stop gripping on.
And it doesn't mean that we'll never pick that bag up again.
It just simply.
.
.
It means that we're giving ourselves permission just to rest.
Just take some time,
Just to let go.
And mindfulness teaches us that every moment is new.
Every single moment is a new moment.
The moment when you started listening to this talk is a new moment than where you are now.
And we cannot change the past and we can't fully control the future.
We can choose how we meet this moment,
Where we are right now.
Perhaps today there's something that you've been carrying for a long time.
Maybe a disappointment or a regret or a fear.
Or maybe just the pressure to always have everything figured out.
So just for the next few moments,
Just simply notice.
What you're carrying.
You don't have to force it away at all,
Just acknowledge it.
Just acknowledge it with kindness.
You might wanna just take a slow breath in.
Let yourself breathe in.
Notice your breath and breathe out.
And as you exhale,
You might.
.
.
See if you can create a little more space around whatever it is that you've been holding on and where is it in your body.
Just allowing space,
Not pushing it away,
Not fighting it.
Just loosening your grip.
Sometimes I think letting go.
.
.
Happens all at once.
And more often it happens one small breath at a time.
It happens one small choice and one small act of kindness towards ourselves.
And as we finish today,
Remember that life isn't about holding onto everything.
It's about learning what to carry and what we're finally ready to put down.
So thank you for taking these few moments with me.
Take care and I'll speak with you again soon.
