Seeing things in a new way requires letting go. If you wake up day after day with this nagging thought that begs to be recognized, letting go of something is usually involved. When your world is turned upside down through no plan of your own, letting go knocks hard. When you want a fresh start and you pledge to truly embrace your humanity, you pledge to loosen your grip on the rope that ties you to what was. Letting go means you jump and sometimes you just squeeze your eyes shut and rely whole-heartedly that your parachute will open as you soar to the earth. But, most of the time letting go takes some preparation, reparation and a look at your expectations before you take a step out into the sky. You check your parachute to make sure it is in working order, you make things right with those around you and scream on the way down if so moved. You pray that the hands of the Divine soften your landing and you try to keep your eyes open so you can see and feel how much you are loved for trusting yourself and the universe. Letting go is faith in action and faith never travels solo. Courage is its constant companion so make room for faith’s traveling buddy as you take your leap and let go.

Letting go means you’ve invited faith and courage to the table. When you want to make changes in your life, this is the team that is the hand on your back that nudges you out the plane. But preparing for your jump requires your participation too. Building something new means that some work needs to be done. A strong, healthy foundation is built using the right tools. For starters, tell yourself the truth. Negative voices that tear apart your spirit will never propel you forward because they are lies. The truth is that you are capable of amazing things and you are the only one who decides how truly heroic these feats really are. Become your own best friend and dive deeply into who you are, what you want, what you do well and what needs work. Seek out truth starting with yourself. Keep your expectations grounded in your humanity. And start with truth number one: You are worthy of love so let go of the things that tell you that you are not.

Expect your jump to be safe but not always the cleanest of landings. Because of this, let go of keeping it together all the time. Being stoic all the time is not part of being human. Scream if it hurts. Don’t let the world govern what your jump looks like or how you should react. The world’s standards or expectations are usually not based in reality or what is humanly impossible. You’ll do just fine. Be reminded that just fine looks like rest when you need it, connection with others who understand, creative contemplation and play. The things that keep you in the “just fine category” are the things that make you who you are and feed your faith and courage. These most important things come from you and your efforts, not the world.

Letting go may require you make things right as best as you can. Letting go of pride and fear is a must in these situations. Pack your faith and courage! You need them to have those tough conversations that create connection and put an end to isolation or loneliness. Grudges and years of not speaking come from one party or both not letting go. Someone has to let go of pride and fear to say what needs to be said even if it means creating a little chaos. Dust will settle and time will help with healing, but stuffing things down into the crevices of your being usually doesn’t end well. This stuff always finds its way out. Try your best to speak up, foster repair, be vulnerable and let go of all the things that stand in the way of creating a space for meaningful repair.

There’s no guarantee that letting go will mean things will always work out just the way you planned. Either way, letting go lets you practice having hard conversations, model bravery, get answers, see the light and maybe even move on. Practicing uncomfortable is the only way through many of life’s challenges so it helps to be well-versed in what it takes to jump into midair. Letting go allows you to be you despite what you’ve been taught, seen or heard from the world. Living out your truth gives you the opportunity to practice being human and develop self-compassion so you have it for others. So, let go, hold hands with your supporters when needed, feel, have faith, stay courageous and cling to your parachute of truth. Letting go will always lighten your load, free you to travel more lightly and get you to jump more often. Be brave, let go and jump. You’ve got this.

Questions/activities to ponder or good journal prompts!

1. Are there any “nagging” issues that visit your head from time to time? How does “letting go” come into play when addressing that issue?
2. Have you ever jumped without much prep? How did that go? What worked well and what did not go well?
3. What is your truth? What do you know for sure about yourself, the world and the Divine?
4. Is it difficult to let go of your pride? Why/why not?
5. What jump will you take next?