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.

Letting go of stuff, negative thoughts, bad energy, and certain patterns can have the most rejuvenating effect. Recently this spring, I took some time doing just that. I let go of some things that needed releasing. If you're in need of an energy boost, maybe some of these ideas will be beneficial for you too. Peruse the list and try one.

3 Tips for Letting Go

1. Clutter Clearing:  Maybe the clutter is a small pile on the corner of your desk that feels like a mountain. Perhaps the clutter is your pile of clothes covering the bottom of your closet that makes it difficult to get dressed. Whatever and wherever the clutter is, spend some time sorting, releasing, and claiming back your space. I've had a growing pile of papers on my desk for too long. Each piece represented something to do, someone to call, a great idea to consider, or a random piece of intriguing information. When I finally decided, "Today's the day!” I filed, acted, and released. I felt so much lighter and happier. My thoughts were clearer, and so was my desk.

2. Thought Busters:  It's been an unusual and more stressful time than normal. Between losing my dad, having other family and friends in the hospital, running a business, going away for the annual NAPO conference, taking coaching classes, and working with coaching clients, I've felt overwhelmed. Things are beginning to calm down after many months of being overloaded. I finally realized how unhelpful it was to continue verbalizing the stress. It only fueled my negative thoughts. Instead, I decided to redirect my words to be more encouraging. I’ve decided to say, "I am doing my best, and that's good enough." I'm letting go of the guilt over what I'm not doing or could be doing. This is liberating.

3. Energy Boosters:  Are there people, things, or places that zap your sparkle? Is it time to let go of them? Paying attention to the things that deplete you is an important step in figuring out what to release. On the positive side, it's as important to be aware of what restores your energy. When we let go of the things that are troubling us, we make space for things that are nourishing. For me, I've been spending too much time inside. Instead of writing this post on my desktop, I went outdoors to write. I was able to enjoy the beautiful, sun-filled day. There was a slight breeze, the swooshing sound of the leaves rustling, birds chirping, and a distant woodpecker tapping. I could feel myself recharging as I sat and wrote. I let go of where I thought I should be writing and changed my environment. It made a huge difference. Be willing to move, shift and release. The outcome will surprise you.

What is your favorite letting go tip or experience? I invite you to join our conversation and share your thoughts.