What is your most surprising discovery about letting go? I asked several of my wonderful colleagues (Elisa Macomber, Deb Lee, Yota Schneider, Ellen Delap, Randi Lyman, Cena Block, Janine Adams, Diane Quintana, Nancy Borg, Grant Willcox) to ponder this question and share their thoughts with us. Their responses are filled with ah-has, courage, and hope. My gratitude goes to each of them for taking the time to reflect, and give us their insightful, encouraging words of wisdom. If you are struggling to let go, perhaps you will discover a nugget here to help you move forward.

What is your most surprising discovery about letting go? . . .

1. Relinquish Fear

“Letting go of something, whether it's an old item, a negative belief, or an ex-flame, requires getting past the fear that there will be nothing to replace that void. But I've learned over the years that once we let go of what no longer suits us, something greater and better awaits us. I have often found myself chuckling why I didn't let go sooner or what was I so afraid of? That is the beautiful trick  - to keep our eyes to what lies ahead of us, coming right at us, to enrich our lives for the better.”

Elisa Macomber, Placement Designer & Blogger

2. Acknowledge Paradox

“Sometimes, the things I expect will be difficult to let go of are actually very easy to part with. And, the things that are not that meaningful make me question whether or not I really should give them up. It’s an interesting and surprising paradox, but, thankfully, thinking about the feeling of freedom I’ll have once I let go gets me through it.”

Deb Lee, CPO^®, Certified Professional Organizer^®, Blogger & App Addict

3. Expand Learning

“I’ve had a wealth of opportunities to practice holding on and letting go. I know the feeling of having crossed the desert only to find an oasis of renewed energy and enthusiasm for my life. I’ve experienced the healing sense of relief and expansion that comes with letting go what doesn’t work for me anymore. Yet, I can still get blindsided by denial. Others can see what I need to let go of but not me. How can that be? Maybe expecting an end to the process of learning is what I need to let go of."

Yota Schneider, Life Transitions Coach 

4. Welcome Possibilities

“Letting go empowers you to take a bold step forward and permit new opportunities to come to you. Almost immediately your next connection will come into being because you are open to new possibilities. Why not let go today of what is complete and make yourself available to what is fresh and new?”

Ellen Delap, CPO^®, Certified Family Manager Coach

5. Change Perspective

“I made a conscience effort to quit a habit that didn't serve my current lifestyle. Once I realized that the habit was gone for good, I felt as if hundreds of pounds had been lifted from me. Now that I was free from that habit, there was space in my life for something new. This created a welcomed sense of accomplishment, inner strength and self-determination.”

Randi Lyman, CPO-CD^®, Professional Organizer

6. Activate Courage

“Letting go is much easier to do, than it is to think about doing. Letting go has everything to do with trust and courage. As I’ve clarified my path in life and business, I have much less fear, worry, or concern about letting go. As I’ve learned to let go, my path has become clearer, my work more effortless, and results more tangible.  Letting go is a transformation that takes place despite your worry – and is a result of doing the very thing you worry about.”

Cena Block, Mompreneur Mentor, Speaker & Author

7. Experience Freedom

“That letting go of objects can be so freeing. When I declutter, I open up myself to new possibilities. Even when it’s been hard to make the decision to let an item go, I’m almost always filled with good feelings once it has been donated – it’s very rare for me to feel even a twinge of regret. I wish more of my clients realized this!”

Janine Adams, CPO^®, CPO-CD^®, Professional Organizer, Speaker & Blogger

8. Engage Mindfulness

“I was amazed and delighted to discover that by letting go of a pre-conceived notion I was free to make remarkable progress toward a long-term goal I had. Prior to letting go, I had not been aware that a part of my subconscious continued to be occupied with this preconceived notion even though I was actively working toward my goal. Letting go of this notion allowed me the space to breathe and to be fully engaged in the work I needed to do to attain my goal; to be totally mindfully present.”

Diane Quintana, CPO-CD^®, CPO^®, Professional Organizer, Speaker & Blogger

9. Prioritize Treasures

“My personal experience of moving 33 years of ‘life stuff’ sheds interesting light on ‘letting go.’  We all move somewhere at sometime in our lives, and so it's an interesting exercise for anyone to think about what they'd prioritize to take along on their eventual journey. Letting go of possessions that no longer provide significant value, and virtually exist because they've been ignored, do not tug at the heartstrings as much.  I suggest letting go of what doesn't hurt first, and then find creative ways to commemorate the abundant treasures without having to keep them all.”

Nancy Borg, Professional Organizer & Blogger

10. Embrace Flow

“I've found by letting go, the things we aim for will more often than not come to us anyway, but in a delightfully unforced way. In letting go and stepping out of the 'torrent of tasks' we become re-centered, re-focused & rebalanced. There is a lot to be learned by the Chinese Proverb " Don't Push the River - It flows by itself. " It's such a graceful reminder, which inspires me to let go on a regular basis.”

Grant Willcox, Success Specialist

Which ideas resonate with you? I love the variety in these responses, which include thinking about letting go of possessions, fear, habits, and negative beliefs in order to embrace new possibilities, growth, and clarity. I’d love to hear from you. Come join the conversation and share your thoughts about letting go challenges, successes, or surprises. What are your thoughts?

Something exciting is happening. While this spring seems to be off to a slow bloom, the letting go energy that often accompanies this season is blossoming big time. Between clients, friends, family, and acquaintances, the permeating mood is about releasing those things that no longer serve us and are weighing us down. I’ve joined the letting go ranks too, as I prepare for a tag sale this spring. It’s time to clear the space, the decks, the closets, and more. It’s time to create room and energy for what we want in our lives, and release the extraneous.

When our spaces are cluttered with things that no longer serve a purpose, those possessions drain our mental and physical energy. Too much of our resources go to thinking about and maintaining them. When objects clutter our spaces, it becomes difficult to easily move through our day. We feel heavy and encumbered. We might even feel hopeless and depressed.

“When our spaces are cluttered with things that no longer serve a purpose, those possessions drain our mental and physical energy.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

When we let go, what happens? We often experience a sense of lightness, freedom, happiness, clarity, or growth. Positivity envelops us; perhaps a sense of giddiness enters our being. I experience this wonderful shift regularly with my clients. There is a huge sigh of relief when the weight of those paper piles, or crowded closets, or floors covered with overflowing shopping bags are released. The smiles return, as the letting go increases. The things, which once cluttered our rooms and thoughts, are no longer obstacles.

Are you ready to exercise your letting go muscles? Which questions will be most helpful with your releasing journey? Create your mix of prompts and let me know what you discover.

21 Letting Go Prompts

Do you love it?

Do you need it?

Does it need you?

Do you want it?

Does it fit?

Does it look good on you?

Do you have space for it?

What can easily be released?

Has it overstayed its welcome?

If you released it, would you miss it?

If you saw it now, would you buy it again?

Is it taking up too much mental or physical space?

Is it worth the real estate, energy, and maintenance?

Does it support your current needs?

Could someone else use it?

When was the last time you referred to, needed, or wore it?

Do you have other similar items that you like better?

How many is enough?

Are your things preventing growth?

Are your things taking you away from what’s most important to you?

What will become possible for you when you let go?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation. What are your letting go challenges or successes? What helps you release those things that are holding you back?

We've all been there. We had our glasses just a moment ago, and now we can't find them...anywhere! Normally I'm pretty good with my glasses. I've devised a system that involves multiple pairs strategically kept in the places I use them (office, nightstand, pocketbook, organizing bag, and car etc.) This makes life simpler and less stressful. My glasses are always ready and waiting.

However, the other day, the oddest thing happened. I walked in the house carrying too many things. When I set the items down on my desk, I knocked over my glasses and heard them drop to the floor. Instead of picking them up right away, I first took care of a few other things. I watered the plants, smelled the newly opened candy-scented irises, sorted the mail, emptied the garbage, and filed some receipts.

Then, I went back to my office to organize the rest of my packages and pick-up my glasses. My dropped glasses had disappeared. I looked everywhere. It’s not a large area. I crawled on the floor, used a flashlight to look beneath the cabinets, and emptied my pocketbook. I kept thinking, "They have to be here. I heard them fall."

I walked into the space and out again, hoping they'd magically appear. Where the heck did they go? Glasses don't have wings! Then I started getting silly. I'm laughing at myself because I just knew they were there and I just wasn't seeing them. I told myself to stop getting nuts and wait for my husband to come home. I figured with another person's perspective, they'd be found quickly.

I wanted to let go and stop obsessing. And then it happened. As I stepped back one last time to take an overview of the area, I saw my glasses. They had landed on their edge onto the connecting hardware of my desk chair.

Lesson learned. Sometimes in order to let go, we have to step back. Have you ever found that a different perspective allowed you to let go? What was your experience? Come share with us and join the conversation.

Even in the blooming, there’s a letting go. The other day, as I drove down the block, I was amazed by how quickly the flowering trees had bloomed and then released those blooms. They seemed to blossom overnight and drop their flowers in less than a week. I noticed that once the flowers were down, new growth appeared on the branches. The trees went from being naked, to flower covered, to bathed with green buds. Each day since, the buds have opened into beautiful green leaves, full of life.

I was thinking how similar this is to our own letting go experience. While it seems that we should just be able to let go and be done, in fact, it’s very much a process, and not a singular event. Like the trees, we begin where we are. We grow, but in order to have more growth, we must be willing to release even those things, which are beautiful. We let the first blooms drop to make room for new ones. This process continues.

The opposite of letting go is holding on. Draw inspiration from this spring season. Be willing to let go of the mind and physical clutter that’s weighing you down, the negative thoughts that are stifling your success, the “yeses” in your too-busy schedule that are causing undue stress, and the micromanaging of everyone and everything.

What will you let go of? What will become possible for you? Where are your growth opportunities? Your thoughts are important. Come join in the conversation about holding on, letting go, and growing.