Give Yourself Permission For Self-Care

The practice of self-care means taking care of your physical and mental health and being aware that you must take care of yourself as the highest priority. Self-care increases stamina, reduces stress, and decreases the risk of illness, so we must treat ourselves as number one to thrive and be strong.

 

Still, we may think putting ourselves first is selfish or egotistical. Others are challenged with low self-esteem, making them feel like they don’t deserve to be first. Some people think they must do everything for everybody and will put aside their goals to assist others. These scenarios impact our self-esteem, keep us from pursuing our goals, and foster self-care neglect.

 

We must understand that if we don’t care for ourselves, we won’t be able to help anyone else, we may feel stressed, and our health suffers. When our mental or physical health is poor, we lose motivation and energy, and our quality-of-life decreases.

 

How can we treat ourselves compassionately and make self-care a part of our daily routine? 

 

About Self-Care

 

The World Health Organization explains that self-care is “the ability of individuals, families, and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health worker.”

 

The National Library of Medicine published a study on the role of self-care related to stress and mental well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A tool, the Self-Care Activities Screening Scale (SASS-14), was used to evaluate the study participants. Four main areas were considered:

 

• Health consciousness

• Nutrition and physical activity

• Sleep quality

• Interpersonal and intrapersonal coping strategies

 

The result of the study is that self-care significantly improves our well-being. However, the higher a person’s perceived stress level, the more challenging it is to practice self-care.

 

Self-Care Basics

 

Reduction of perceived stress is essential for self-care. The following are basic strategies to help you cope with stress and lead you to a healthy lifestyle.

 

Embrace Healthy Foods: Nutritious meals can improve your energy and brain power. Healthy foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, fish and seafood, nuts and seeds, beans, low-fat dairy products, and unsaturated oils, such as olive oil. Avoid fried foods, salt, sugar, fast foods, cakes and pies, and too much caffeine. 

 

Sleep Well: The Sleep Health Foundation recommends that adults aged 18-64 sleep 7 - 9 hours and adults over 64 sleep 7 – 8 hours nightly. Avoid actions that might keep you awake at night, such as caffeine in the afternoon, using electronics before bedtime, and taking long naps during the day. You can foster a good night’s sleep by exercising during the day, going to sleep and waking up at the same time daily, and ensuring that your bedroom is quiet. 

 

Every Workout Counts: Exercise helps to relieve stress and make you stronger mentally and physically. Choose an activity that you enjoy, such as a brisk walk, and strive to exercise at least 30 minutes daily.

 

Stay Connected: Among many benefits, having good friends can relieve stress and promote happiness. The Mayo Clinic reports that friends help you cope with traumas, improve self-confidence, and reduce your risk of health problems.

 

Time Management and Boundaries: The night before, create a to-do list for the next day and prioritize each item. This “roadmap” for the day will help you focus on the tasks that must be completed. Work through your goals and tasks in priority order. Also, consider setting boundaries to prevent interruptions to your plan. For example, if you block out 3 hours to focus on a task, let those who need to know that you aren’t available during that time. 

 

Conclusion

Taking care of yourself is essential to reduce stress and reap the benefits of good health and happiness. In our busy lives, we may feel we don’t have time for self-care, thus impacting our health and energy and limiting our capacity to help others. Remember that you are not being selfish by treating yourself as number one and setting boundaries is not rude. These are necessary concepts to help you cope with stress and boost your well-being.

 

References

 

https://www.who.int/health-topics/self-care#tab=tab_1

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8678542/

 

https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/how-much-sleep-do-you-really-need

 

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/friendships/art-20044860

 

Breaking Bad Habits: A Practical Guide To Positive Change

Why is it so difficult to overcome bad habits when we know we may harm ourselves or others? For example, we know about the health risks associated with smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol excessively, and overeating. 

 

Our families, friends, and others are impacted by secondhand smoke and the effects of alcoholism. We want to give up our bad habits, but the short-term pleasure makes quitting or changing habits challenging. This article will explore the psychology that causes us to form habits and how to make positive changes to break bad habits.

 

About Habits

Our repetitive actions become habitual and are a normal part of the human state. Habits can be beneficial, such as taking a shower or exercising. On the other hand, regular use of illegal drugs, for example, can become a bad habit. Habits can also form when pleasurable things prompt the brain’s “reward” center, leading to unhealthy routines like gambling or overeating.

 

Eventually, the habit becomes an automatic behavior without consciously thinking about it, and it can be difficult to stop. Developing new habits is challenging since the brain retains automatic behavior. 

 

Still, you can eliminate bad habits with patience and commitment by trying the following practical strategies for positive change.

 

Identify Your Bad Habits and Triggers: List the habits you want to change to improve your well-being. Don’t try to change all your habits at once. Instead, choose the highest priority habit that you want to change and focus on it. This will increase your chances of success.

 

Think about what triggers the habit and explore options for avoiding it. For example, assume that you are stressed after work each day and find that drinking alcohol helps you to relax. However, you’ve gotten into the habit of drinking excessively and are concerned about your health. 

 

In that case, you can learn techniques such as meditation to help you relax. Ensure that you take short breaks during the workday to practice meditation. This will help you to cope with stress better. After work, when you feel the urge for a drink, substitute it with exercise, such as a brisk walk to help you unwind.

 

Your goal is to reduce or remove the trigger and substitute the bad habit with a good one.

 

Accept Discomfort: Changing habits is complex and can make you anxious and agitated. Recognize that these are normal feelings; they are temporary and will diminish with time. If you feel discomfort, do something that relaxes you; it’s a distraction and will help you to feel better. Consider going for a walk, reading, playing a game, or taking a short nap.

 

Adopt a Positive Mindset: We all have an inner voice and unconsciously have negative thoughts at times that are discouraging or detrimental to our well-being. You may think, “I can’t do this,” or “I’ll never kick this habit.” Be aware of these thoughts and replace them with positive self-talk such as “I can do this” or “I will do this.”

 

Be Kind to Yourself: You’re human; it’s essential to forgive yourself if you backslide while trying to break a habit. Give yourself credit for your efforts thus far. Rather than give up or put yourself down with negative self-talk, you can pick up where you left off and get back on track. Remember to be aware of scenarios that trigger the habit and either avoid or substitute the behavior with something positive.

 

Conclusion

When we repetitively practice behaviors, good or bad, those behaviors become habits. The habits that are bad for us are challenging to overcome. However, we can learn how to identify the triggers that make us indulge in our detrimental routines and then avoid the trigger or substitute it with positive behaviors such as exercise or enjoying a stroll in the park. 

 

Along the way, if we backslide, we must remain positive and persistent and keep trying. In the long run, by trying the preceding tips, you are taking a practical approach to making positive changes in your life.

References

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2012/01/breaking-bad-habits

 

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/observer/breaking-bad-habits

 

https://knowablemagazine.org/content/article/mind/2021/the-science-habits

 

Mindful Living: The Path To A More Fulfilling Life

Mindfulness is not an out-of-reach foreign concept that is difficult to add to your everyday life. It’s actually quite the opposite. Mindfulness is a meditation technique that has many benefits and is very simple to use. Here we talk about what mindfulness and its benefits are as well as ways to include it in your daily living.

 

What is Mindful Living?

 

Mindful living simply means incorporating the practice of mindfulness into your everyday life. As a beginner, you’ll need to make a conscious effort to practice mindfulness as you go about your day. Once you hone your skills, you’ll find yourself engaging in mindfulness automatically as you complete your daily tasks.

 

Mindfulness is a mental state in which you are fully aware of the present moment. You engage with your five physical senses and free thoughts. You allow yourself to experience the moment from an objective perspective. In mindfulness, it’s important to refrain from viewing experiences as “good” or “bad.”

 

How Is Mindful Living Beneficial?

 

Mindful living has benefits that reach every core life area, including mental health, physical health, social relationships, employment, recreation, etc. Here are just a few of the benefits that mindful living provides:

 

• Less rumination on undesired thoughts

• Stress reduction

• Better cognitive function

• Less emotional reactivity

• Higher satisfaction with relationships

• Better mental health

• Stronger immune function

 

How to Live Mindfully

 

There are many ways to introduce mindfulness into your daily life. It is a form of meditation as well as a mindset. First, you can start by scheduling a structured mindfulness session into each day. Ten-minute sessions are a good starting point. You can add them to your wake up or bedtime routine so that they’re easy to structure into your day. Here are some ways to practice mindfulness during these sessions:

 

• Get yourself into a comfortable position within a quiet and calm environment.

• Starting at either end of your body, gradually tense and relax your muscles and joints. Pay attention to the physical sensations as you do so.

• Take slow, deep breaths. Count how many you take and how long they last. Feel and visualize the air working through your respiratory system.

• Allow yourself to have thoughts of positive messages.

• Repeat encouraging mantras aloud.

• Listen to a guided meditation.

• Once you get better at these techniques, you can begin to practice them in a less structured way. Here are some ways to engage in mindfulness throughout your day:

• Practice mindfulness when you get a small break in your day, such as at work or while sitting at a red light in traffic.

• Journal at the end of each day to recap your experiences and note what you are grateful for that day.

• Create a positive affirmation jar and start your day by reading a slip out of the jar.

• Take inventory of your five physical senses as you complete daily activities, such as walking, driving, eating, hygiene tasks, and recreational activities.

• Focus on a single task at a time. For example, instead of listening to music while making dinner, prepare the meal without additional stimuli. You can feel the ingredients in your hands, hear the sound of chopping, smell the food cooking, see the variety of colors in the ingredients, and taste test the meal as you’re preparing it.

• Participate in creative recreational activities, such as coloring, sewing, sculpting, etc.

• Look at an object for a few minutes to notice details you’ve missed in the past.

• Actively listen in conversations with others.

• Practice empathy. Imagine what others may be experiencing and why they’re acting the way they are.

 

Think about what you will say before you say. Remember that it’s okay to take a pause in conversation if needed.

 

Source Links

 

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/07-08/ce-corner

 

https://www.healthline.com/health/mind-body/mindfulness-activities

 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320392

  

https://www.mindful.org/what-is-mindfulness/

Letting Go Of Fear: Embracing Life With Courage

Fear is often an invisible force holding you back from rushing into life full force. 

 

It might be the reason you haven't experienced the fullness of life. 

 

It could be the reason you didn't chase an opportunity that could have radically changed your life. 

 

If you want to embrace life truly, then you have to confront your fears, let go, and embrace courage. 

 

Here, we explore how letting go of fear to embrace courage can transform your life. 

 

Identify & Acknowledge

 

Before you can let go of your fears, you have to identify what they are and acknowledge their presence in your life. 

 

Fear comes in many forms – it could be a fear of change or the unknown, a fear of failure, or a fear of rejection. When you recognize your fears, you start to remove their power. It also unveils the obstacles that have been hindering your growth. 

 

The key to getting to the root cause of your fears is self-awareness, and with that, you can take steps toward freedom. 

 

Embrace Vulnerability 

 

To be courageous you have to embrace vulnerability and understand that it's okay to be imperfect and you don't need all the answers. Sometimes, it's a fear of vulnerability that holds people back and it can be a major obstacle that prevents you from expressing yourself fully and truly. It can hold you back from pursuing your passions. Embrace vulnerability and enjoy the experience – you don't need to be in constant control of everything, you can hold a genuine connection with others, be authentic, and enjoy life more by opening yourself up. 

 

Shift Your Perspective 

 

Sometimes, fear is rooted in how you perceive a situation. When you shift your perspective, you can change the narrative that's sparking fear in your mind. Rather than viewing a challenge as an insurmountable obstacle, you can see it as an opportunity to learn and grow. Changing the way you perceive a fear-based situation will allow you to take a curious approach and embrace a mindset of resilience and growth. 

 

A Growth Mindset

 

If you're looking for the antidote to fear, it's a growth mindset. 

 

You have to embrace the belief that your intelligence, skills, and abilities can be developed beyond where they are now and utilized to tackle any challenge life may present. It's a stark shift in mindset, but the change is one that will foster resilience and allow you to confront fear head-on, with a profound understanding that any failure is simply a stepping stone to success. 

 

It's The Little Steps

 

It's important to remember you don't need to take giant leaps to get to where you're going. You can take little steps and get to where you're going just the same. So, take little steps out of fear consistently as you embrace courage because it will change your life. 

 

Do yourself a favor by setting small milestones and building up your sense of accomplishment. Eventually, you will break down the fear that's holding you back and get more accustomed to winning regularly. 

 

Final Thoughts 

 

Setbacks are an inevitable part of life, don't let them fuel fear. Embrace every one of them as an opportunity to grow and learn. Don't dwell on failure, take the lesson and move forward.

 

If you want to embrace life fully, you need to be willing to confront your fears and let them go once and for all. Letting go of your fears gives you the freedom to embrace the courage you already have within you – it's the biggest step you can take when looking at ways to develop yourself and improve your life. Be vulnerable, develop your self-awareness, look at life from a new perspective, and nurture a growth mindset – it's all about taking little steps consistently to get to where you're going. 

 

Self-Discovery 101: Uncovering Your True Self

Self-discovery is certainly an exciting journey, but it's also a long one. If you want to experience a profound exploration of self-transformation as you do so, you will need to prepare yourself for thorough introspection to develop a deep sense of self-awareness. Personal growth can result in a much more fulfilling life as you uncover your authentic self. Here, we explore the keys to uncovering your true self. 

 

Curiosity 

 

You can't embark on a journey of self-discovery without first embracing curiosity. More importantly, curiosity about you and your life. Be prepared to ask and answer questions about what you're passionate about, and what brings you joy, and open yourself to the idea of exploring all of the different parts of your desires, interests, and personality. 

 

Curiosity will be the spark that ignites this journey!

 

Mindfulness 

 

Mindfulness has a lot of benefits for a lot of different pursuits because it helps you root yourself in the present, and without judgment. Mindfulness allows you to observe emotions and thoughts without attaching emotion or judgment, which helps you deepen your self-awareness. What better space to practice self-reflection?

 

Values 

 

Your values and beliefs are a big part of who you are and they should be guiding your decisions, but only if it's serving you well. A lot of people get caught up chasing other people's values. So, it's worth sitting down to consider what you value most – whether it's honesty and integrity, family and friends, or material wealth. 

 

If you know, you know, and you can use that knowledge to further your true self. Another thing many people don't realize is that your values and beliefs change – so, what you valued and believed five years ago may be different from how you feel today. That's okay! You just need to have regular check-ins with yourself. 

 

Passions

 

Mindless activities are fine, they can form a positive part of your self-care practice. But, you should also engage in activities that you're truly passionate about, activities that fill you with a sense of fulfillment. It could be a cause, a hobby, or a creative pursuit. Explore your passions because they give you valuable insights into who you truly are. Time flies when you're having fun… so, what are you doing when time flies? 

 

Confront Fear 

 

You will never discover yourself if you aren't prepared to face your fears and challenge your limiting beliefs. Identify fear and examine those beliefs that aren't serving you well. This will help you break free from the chains trapping you. 

 

Journal 

 

A journal is an excellent self-reflection tool.  It's a safe space for you to track your thoughts and feelings, and note your experiences. You can look back on it to see your growth, look for patterns of behavior, and gain deeper insight into your true self. This private space gives you permission to express yourself fully without fear of judgment. 

 

Strengths and Weaknesses 

 

You can't know your true self without first identifying your strengths and weaknesses. As difficult as it might be, this should be an objective process. It's key to self-discovery. 

 

If you're struggling with this stage of the process, you can seek feedback from people you trust, people who you believe will be honest and forthright with you about the things you're great at and the things that you're maybe not so great at. 

 

Final Thoughts 

 

Self-discovery may be a long journey, but it's worth the effort. So, spark your curiosity, practice mindfulness, prepare for reflection, explore your passions, and confront your fears if you want to uncover your true self. 

 

When you open the door on this journey, you're unlocking a deep understanding of your true self, and delving into a more authentic life. It isn't a destination, but this continuous exploration will be fulfilling. 

 

Sailing Through Life: Letting Go And Trusting The Journey

Life can be difficult, and while a lot of people float through life, my wish for you is that you sail through it instead. There will be rough waters, of course, but you can batten down the hatches and navigate choppy water and the rest of the time, you can let go and trust the journey. 

 

So, before you hoist the sails to embark on your big adventure, let's talk about how important it is to embrace uncertainty and face the open sea. 

 

Learn Life's Lessons

 

One of the biggest lessons that sailing through life can teach you is found in the art of letting go. The first step in setting sail is releasing the anchor, you can't move forward without taking that step of letting go first. So, you too need to relinquish your fears and let go of attachments to start on your voyage. 

 

You have to loosen the grip on past traumas, release yourself from external expectations, and let go of the need for control. That is what is weighing you down, and it's holding you back from taking flight on the winds of change! 

 

It's important to understand that letting go isn't about abandoning your goals or ducking out on your responsibilities. Rather, it's about learning to let go of the burden that comes with your attempt to control the things you can't control. Holding onto those things is hindering your ability to grow and stunting your ability to adapt. 

 

Imagine, for a moment, a boat being navigated by a skilled captain. The captain will adjust the sails when the wind changes, which demonstrates their trust in their skills and the journey. 

 

You, too, can trust the process and make small tweaks as you move along, understanding that you can't control every aspect. To do that, however, you need to surrender to life's natural flow. That requires an understanding that while storms are inevitable, they are temporary. Whatever the storm, it is contributing to your spiritual and personal growth. 

 

The Beauty of Life 

 

The metaphor of life being a journey at sea goes far beyond navigating storms. The key is understanding that you can revel in the calm when the sea is serene. In the same way, you should relish life's joys when things are tranquil. 

 

You can recognize that change is inevitable, and you can understand that storms will likely arise, but you can embrace that change as a potential source of strength. When you learn to navigate every storm with resilience, you dig deep to take advantage of your inner capabilities. Every challenge delivers an opportunity to evolve. 

 

You have the skills you need to navigate the biggest obstacles in life, and that's good – but you need to let go of trying to control everything and learn how to sail through the easy bits to enjoy life to its fullest. 

 

Final Thoughts 

 

Sailing through life is simply a metaphor to highlight your need to let go and trust the journey. On larger ships, a crew mans the ship and they have to work together to get the job done. A bit like life, your support network and connections will help you thrive if you trust them. You don't need to be a solitary captain navigating your small boat on raging seas – we're all connected. 

 

As you navigate the seat of life, you will encounter turbulent waves, but there's also a lot of calm water. So, let go of toxic attachments, embrace change, trust the process, and steer your life toward growth and fulfillment. There is strength in letting go, not weakness. So, trust the journey and follow the natural ebbs and flows of life – your experience will be profound, but only if you let go, trust, and enjoy the journey. 

 

Breaking The Chains: The Power Of Releasing Your Past

As important as the past is for learning lessons and remembering successes, it's equally important that you don't let the past keep you chained there. 

 

Like the stereotypical high school jock who perpetually lives in the past because those were the best days of his life. Or the woman who can't build healthy relationships because never recovered from her college boyfriend's infidelity. 

 

The negative parts of our past have a way of clinging on, wrapping its tendrils around you and despite your attempts at remaining in the present, the chains of the past remain wrapped tight. You carry the weight of those chains into every experience, and whether it's negative or positive, it has a powerful impact on your present life. There can be great power in releasing your past and breaking those chains. 

 

Moving On

 

One of the greatest challenges people face is breaking free from the chains of their past. It could be a past mistake, a stinging heartbreak, or trauma from a difficult experience; all of your life experiences impact your emotional and mental well-being. 

 

Dwelling on the past, however, will only keep you anchored to a period of time that you should have left behind. That time no longer exists, yet it's rooting you there and preventing you from living in the here and now. 

 

The first step to breaking those chains is acknowledging your past and accepting it. It's an essential part of the process, you have to confront the unresolved emotions and pain that you've buried deep, which will require self-reflection and a whole lot of courage. By facing your past head-on, you remove the power it holds over your present moment and the future. 

 

Forgiveness is another step necessary to break those chains. Whether it's forgiving yourself or someone else, a lot of people hold onto grudges over things that happened. It's important to remember that forgiveness doesn't mean that you forget what happened. 

 

If someone hurt you or wronged you, forgiving them isn't forgetting the harm they caused you. It doesn't mean making up and being friends either. It's a conscious decision to let go of the painful emotions that have lingered since the experience. Forgiveness isn't for them, it's for you. 

 

The Power 

 

Perhaps one of the most vital aspects of breaking free from the past's chains is self-compassion. 

 

Self-compassion simply means that you treat yourself with the same understanding and kindness you extend to your closest friends. You treat them with care, and you offer them a gentle response, but you are your own worst enemy – your harshest critic. You hold yourself to an impossible standard and when you slip up, you give yourself merry hell. Self-compassion provides a nurturing environment to foster healing and growth. 

 

Mindfulness is another powerful tool for breaking the chains of your past. 

 

Mindfulness is all about focusing on the present moment, observing your thoughts without judgment, and acknowledging your feelings without opinion. Mindfulness practices like deep breathing, meditation, and body scanning help you develop the ability to let go of the past, dismiss intrusive thoughts, and focus on the beauty of the moment. 

 

An essential part of personal development as a whole, and particularly breaking chains, is setting boundaries. Boundaries protect you from negative behaviors, and repeating patterns, and help you use your time and energy more wisely. Boundaries help you create space for change and growth. 

 

Final Thoughts 

 

While the process of breaking the chains of your past can be difficult, it is possible. Above, you have a step-by-step process to do just that. It will take some time, but if you're committed to the process, you will need a combination of self-awareness and forgiveness, self-compassion, and mindfulness, as well as boundary-setting. 

 

Work on establishing a forward-focused mindset because this journey will require resilience and dedication. In return, you will benefit on a profound level. Your life will be free from the burdens of the past and filled with an endless number of possibilities. As you let go of the past, you open yourself to growth, healing, and the recognition of your potential. 

 

Embracing Change: Letting Go To Welcome The New

We all have something we want to let go of, whether it be a harmful habit, physical item, or toxic viewpoint that keeps us tethered to where we are. However, despite wanting to let go, the reality is that embracing change can be hard to do. 

 

Oftentimes, the struggle to let go and embrace change has to do with not having control over the future - and that can be a really powerful fear. But the reality is that while we can make choices based on the best information we have at the time, life is always going to be in a state of flux. 

 

Whether the change is good or sad, practicing the art of letting go can help you to become more flexible and adaptable. It can also help us move forward if we’re still living in the past. Here’s some helpful information that can do just that. 

 

Why Do We Struggle With Change? 

 

Before we dive into all the ways you can start letting go, let’s first analyze why we’re so resistant to change in the first place. 

 

According to Katherine Cullen MFA, LCSW, in her article titled Why Is Change So Hard? published in Psychology Today, “We often find ourselves resisting change, perhaps because of the perceived risk or fear associated with it.” 

 

In her article, she refers to examples such as a chain smoker looking to quit the habit. First, is the acknowledgment of the act. in this case, the smoker realizes that they’re going through a lot of cigarettes per day. While this isn’t enough to prompt immediate action, it gets the gears turning. 

 

The next phase is contemplation, which is when the individual considers the pros and cons of letting go. In the case of a chain smoker, this could be comparing the benefits of quitting such as renewed lung tissue and lowering the risk of developing lung cancer, as well as the cons such as not knowing another way to relieve stress and being fearful of not having any other method of self-soothing. 

 

After weighing the pros and cons, most people will then make a detailed plan - i.e. choose a day to quit smoking and buy a yoga mat for stress relief or hard candy to suck on when they have a craving. Then, they go through with it. Getting to this point of action is hard, but maintaining the lifestyle is even harder because everything is outside of the person’s comfort zone. 

 

For a chain smoker, a watermelon-flavored hard candy is hardly going to be an adequate substitute for something they enjoy. And since lifestyle changes aren’t a linear process, any setbacks could lead to self-judgment and frustration, making embracing the new change all the more difficult. 

 

This cycle is why we’re so resistant to change. We’re often fearful of what lies on the other side of change. Though change isn’t always bad, it’s the what-ifs that we focus on. While the chain smoker giving up cigarettes is just one example, another might be an adult child having difficulty discarding their deceased mother’s clothing. 

 

While they may not necessarily need them, they’re scared of getting rid of them for the risk that they will one day change their mind, or that they will somehow be disappointing their loved ones. Fears like this lead to prolonged (and unnecessary) suffering. 

 

Parents with grown children may also suffer through the struggle to let go of their child’s bedroom or childhood effects, which can make it hard to embrace their child’s adulthood and the new dynamic shared between them. 

 

At the end of the day, the fear of letting go and embracing change often comes down to not knowing what to expect and the risk of having regrets about the decision to change later on, especially if it doesn’t pan out the way we want. 

 

Tips for Letting Go and Embracing Change

 

Letting go can be hard as is, let alone when we’re also forced to embrace the unwanted change that comes with it. 

 

As in the example above, letting go of a loved one’s clothes or personal items has nothing to do with the love of the tangible items, but rather the fear that they’re going to forget their loved ones if they don’t have a physical memory attached to them. 

 

Regardless of what you’re struggling to let go of, here are some tips that can help you welcome change, even if it’s going to be a little difficult. 

 

Declutter

 

Like the example mentioned earlier, holding onto items for the fear that you’ll regret getting rid of them isn’t a good enough reason to keep them around. Clutter can lead to stress, anxiety, and in many cases, depression. 

 

Holding onto items that no longer serve you, even if they’re simply no longer your style, can keep you in the past and chain you there. If you’re interested in letting go, start small. Grab a trash bag and find 10 items you can throw away, like receipts, chipped mugs, or socks that have holes in them. With enough practice, you can work your way up from items that are damaged to those that have a mental chokehold on you. 

 

This is especially true if you’re holding onto clutter for sentimental reasons. While it’s okay to keep a few things, dedicating your home to people or lifestyles from the past can keep you tethered to a painful time in your life. Learning to let go can help you accept what happened and embrace your new life moving forward. 

 

Don’t Dismiss Your Fears

 

One way you can embrace change is by acknowledging that you don’t want to let certain things go, whether it’s a tangible item or not. 

 

The more you try to dismiss your feelings, and by proxy, your fears, the more likely they are to stay with you and affect your decisions. If you want to truly embrace change, then acknowledge that getting rid of your mother’s items, or your child’s baby clothes (for example) is hard. 

 

Then, go ahead and acknowledge your fears about getting rid of them. For example, getting rid of baby clothes could signify that the time of your life is over, and you’re scared of what comes next. 

 

Oftentimes, the difficulty of letting go is because we’re fearful of feeling sad, being alone, moving on, or feeling vulnerable. However, these are feelings shared among society. When you bring these fears to the surface, they not only no longer seem so scary, but you can now identify solutions. 

 

With the right support system, you can embrace your fears and still let go, knowing that it’s going to suck…and that’s okay. 

 

Listen to Your Inner Voice

 

At the end of the day, you’ll know when it’s time to get rid of something, or someone, or move on. These feelings are usually subtle; one day you just don’t feel the same way about it anymore. However, when you have that inkling, take notice. 

 

Your inner voice doubles as your voice of reason. Though you may be quick to ignore it or do the opposite, trust that when that little voice pops up telling you it’s time to let go, it’s because deep down, it’s what you know is best for you. 

 

Letting go and embracing change is all about the fear of not knowing what lies around the corner. You can make this change easier by trusting your gut and realizing that yes, change can be scary, but so can staying miserable where you are.