“When you let go, you create space for something better.” —Anonymous

Autumn is a natural time of letting go and moving on. As the trees release their grip on the multi-coloured leaves that fall softly to the ground, it’s a good opportunity for us to let go of things whose time have passed.

Would it make sense for the trees to try to hang onto the leaves, to expend energy hanging on? Of course not. Nature understands that letting go allows for rest, regeneration, and new growth in the spring.

The nature of life is change…nothing stays the same for long. This is true of seasons, relationships, careers, homes, fashion…even our physical bodies. It can seem hard to accept change, but if we embrace the cycles of life…the natural ebb and flow, it becomes easier to adapt and use these cycles to our advantage.

Letting go of the unwanted

“You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one.” —Anonymous

The energy we hang onto from the past tends to block new things (and people) from entering our lives. So this fall, choose to let go of anything in your life that no longer serves or fits you, so you will feel lighter heading into winter and ready for new growth next spring.

Some categories to consider include:

Clothes, toys and household goods – This is a great time to purge your closets of unwanted/unneeded items and give them to others who could use them. (Search for local “Buy Nothing” groups on Facebook or donate to a local charity.)

Negative thoughts/emotions – Fall is a naturally introspective time, and a period of grieving what is gone. Write down any uncomfortable or “negative” emotions like sadness, frustration and anger in a journal, and allow yourself to purge unwanted feelings so they don’t stay stuck inside your body. You may want to burn or shred these pages afterwards to energetically release what is bothering you.

Bad habits – This is also a good time to consider whether there are some habits you need to let go of that are stealing your time, energy and health. (For example, smoking, drinking alcohol, over-eating, watching too much TV, being on the phone/Internet too much, not exercising, not getting enough sleep.) Focus on establishing a new, healthier habit by the new year so you’re off to a healthy start!

Reminders of past lovers – If you’ve been through a break-up or two, this is a great time to burn old love letters and get rid of reminders of your ex (jewellery, clothing, gifts, etc.).

People – Yes, sometimes even people need to go. Fall is a great time to think about who is in your life and whether they are adding value and energy, or draining you. If a relationship can’t be mended, consider putting some distance between you and the person, or ending the relationship altogether.

This kind of pre-winter purging prevents you from carrying such a heavy load into the darker winter months. It also gives you room to breathe and clears space for new ideas, people, and goals to enter.

Harvesting what is wanted

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” —Aesop

Fall is also a time of harvesting the fruits of your labour and giving thanks for summer’s bounty. It’s a natural time to consider all the wonderful things that have come to pass so far this year, and feel grateful for the joy that the things, activities and people in your life have brought to you.

I highly recommend writing daily in a gratitude journal to reflect on the many blessings you have, so that as you let go of what you don’t want, you turn your focus to keeping and expanding on what you do.

Wishing you a warm and cozy fall!

xo Karen

Resources

See also:

• Embracing change: Lessons from nature
• Harvesting growth: Reflecting on wins and goals mid-year
• Relationship audit: How to assess who deserves a spot in your life

Share your ideas

What have you learned about letting go? Please share…