Letting go is hard. As an avid Passion Planner user, I can get attached to my goals and plans. Sometimes, I have been forced to confront letting go by way of significant life transitions: relationships that have run their course, the unexpected loss of loved ones, or moving to a new town. Most of the time, I have been nudged towards it by subtle reminders. Perfectionism and internalizing the opinions of others are only a few examples of the baggage I unconsciously carry with me on a daily basis.

The phrase “let go of what no longer serves you,” has become a modern mantra, plastered in your local yoga studio in beautiful hand lettering. However, the elegance of how it is written fails to convey the challenges of what this motto actually proclaims.

In reality, letting go is an imperfect process, a constant pendulum swing between resistance and acceptance. 

Like the goals you broke down in your Passion Roadmap, letting go is marked more by small steps and behavior changes than by one definitive event. Once you have identified what you want to release, you can begin practicing small, intentional behaviors that will transform you over time.

Here are just a few examples to get some practice, with some book recommendations from the Passion Planner library to dig deeper into your letting go process.

LETTING GO OF CONTROL AND PERFECTIONISM?

EMBRACE SPONTANEITY AND CHANGE.

If I were not already writing this article, I would feel personally attacked by this one. As a planner nerd, I enjoy knowing exactly when, how, and why something is going to happen. Uncertainty and ambiguity frighten me. This year, I realized that planning to an extreme is paralyzing. The constant rigidity leaves little room for spontaneity, and I would pursue goals that I was no longer passionate about, just for the sake of completing them. As embarrassing as it is for me to admit, it led to me forgetting what fun felt like.

As it turns out, most fun that is had is not planned minute by minute. In fact, some of the best parts of life come as a complete surprise. 

And as much as I wanted to cross things off my to-do list, it feels even more liberating to erase goals that are no longer relevant to me. This month, let’s overcome that planner guilt and embrace the power of blank space.

LETTING GO OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK?

EMBRACE SOLITUDE AND AUTHENTICITY.

Technology has made it easier than ever to get everybody’s opinion about everything. 

We have learned to measure our self-worth in likes, comments, and read receipts. 

I am 100% positive that I am not the only one who has deleted a social media post because it did not get as many likes as I had anticipated.

I find that when I am uncomfortable with how people feel about me, I am actually uncomfortable with how I feel about myself. To recalibrate, I make time for solitude and self-reflection. By carving out time for me to get to know my authentic self, I become more comfortable with embracing that before anyone else. It is still a work in progress, as we all are, but I have come a long way in releasing my people-pleasing tendencies.

LETTING GO OF SCARCITY?

EMBRACE GRATITUDE.

With Thanksgiving being just around the corner, it is the perfect time to embrace gratitude. 

In a culture where progress and efficiency are praised, it can be difficult to ever feel like we are content with what we have, what we do, and who we are. 

I recently finished the book, “The Soul of Money” by Lynne Twist where she describes how scarcity, or the feeling of not having enough, not only impacts how we see money, but ultimately how we see our relationships and ourselves.

Cultivating an attitude of gratitude enables you to recognize everything that you have, and live in appreciation for the here and now. It is important to note that you can embrace both progress and gratitude at the same time, but having tunnel vision only for what’s to come can prevent you from recognizing the good in the present.

Paula Votendahl is a Content Marketing Specialist with Passion Planner. In her free time she enjoys Passion Planning, eating Hot Cheetos, and watching British period dramas.