I've been thinking a lot about change and how it's a process of letting go. Obviously, I'm dealing with a lot of change in my life, and I realized there of some things I cannot let go of. For instance, my Christmas tree is still up as is the red and green wreath on my door. Mr. Branflake's towel is still hanging where he left it a month ago. I still haven't figured out how to use my Dyson.
In the midst of this, it occurred to me: My ability to adapt to change is based on how well I can let things go.
Sometimes the things we let go of are small, like random habits or old clothes, while other times those losses are more significant, such as people and circumstances. Sometimes we let go of those things willingly, while other times we put up a fight.
But there have been things that I've let go of unknowingly; they've crept out of my life like a slipping sunset. Then one day I've woken up and realized my life is much different than the idea that had been in my head all along. But that's okay.
Because I know the more I let go, the more I can let it in. To quote one of my favorite novels:
“That is why it is so important to let certain things go. To release them... Stop being who you were and become who you are.”- Paulo Coelho, The Zahir
What change is happening in your life?
What did you have to let go because of it?
What did you have to let go because of it?
photos by Dancing Branflake taken in Monterey
27 comments:
To me, life changes are one of the most interesting things to talk and write about. It is amazing the amount of feelings that changes trigger on us, right? After 8 years living in Miami, I left the States to start a new life with my boyfriend in Bonn, Germany. I officially moved on Dec 22, 2012 (a little over a month). 2012 was a super intense year for me as I had to get to digest the big move (I made the final decision of moving on February, 2012). I definitely had several advantages: 1. I was so over Miami and wanted to leave-even before I met Michael and 2. I had almost a year to digest the final move -meaning that I planned and calculated a lot of things. At the same time, it was a little sad to think that I was pretty much giving away my American Dream -I am originally from Spain. I finally came to terms with the fact that I had two dreams 'living in other parts of the States, NYC or California' and 'living with the man that represents everything that I always dreamed about in a man.' If we put it that way, well, the decision seems pretty easy! In September, I spent Labor Day weekend in LA. I needed to kind of 'say bye' to one of the cities I always adored. So I went, I enjoyed...but I truly realized that without Michael it didn't make any sense. :) Now, I am in Bonn, and I can tell you...I wouldn't like to be anywhere else in the world. I take it one day at a time, sure, but this is exactly how I feel. :)
I feel like you can read my mind...it can be so hard to let go of something, because no one can tell you if it's the right thing to do. Sometimes you have to let go of something or someone to move on and it's the right thing to do, other times it might have been the wrong decision, but no matter what, it's a change and change it good!
Hugs xxx
The current change happening in my life is simply entering adulthood. I'm officially done with school {unless I decide to pursue law school at some point}, and am now actively pursuing a full-time job. It feels strange to move from doing homework to spending days working on job applications and my resume - but it's an exciting change. :)
*hum* - there's actually a lot of change going on - Joe's hardly ever around - he works now 7 days a week and then all time off he is rebuilding his Mom's house - i'm ALL IN on losing this weight (so it's ALL healthy and exercise on the brain) - getting my parents to be more independent and getting use to not taking care of them - dare i say: possibly preparing for motherhood?? ... plus getting my house renovated on the outside (still need to raise the rood tho - but that consists of A LOT more $$ that i don't know if i wanna put into the house) ... and buy getting there i had to take out a lot of personal inventory in my brain - and release a lot of things - and realize things happen for a reason - Hurricane Sandy was my breaking point - it literally took EVERYTHING out of me - a while after that i just said - CHANGE needs to occur and i made it happen
definitely something i can relate to...and i guess my biggest change is becoming a mom :) nuff said
but time to take down the xmas tree ;)
you know, many of the letting go in my life was not because i wanted or planned for it, some things i was forced to do. but nonetheless, EVERY time it brought something big, good and rewarding. the biggest 'let go" was to just cold turkey move to NYC. I knew i wanted to, and when a dancing opportunity presented itself, i just couldn't say "no", and - hard as it was to absolutely let go or absolutely EVERYTHING we built over the previous 7 years, it was the absolutely BEST thing i've ever done. i miss it dearly. i wish my bones and my little girl's lungs could handle the humidity, because i absolutely love ( and will NOT let go :)) of that part of "me" and my life :)
http://livingnotesfromnyc.blogspot.com/2012/11/i-love-my-mornings.html
oh my gosh, I love that quote - I'm going to have to read that book. I think I really needed this post today... my life is not at all as I envisioned it when I entered college in 2005... but I need to let go of what I thought it would be and embrace what my life is right now. Thanks for this!
This is such a lovely post. I've done a lot of "letting go" this past year. Right now I'm at an "in between" phase where I've let a lot go.. And it's time to develop new traditions, familiarities, etc.
The biggest lesson I learned in the last year is letting go of the idea I can control everything in my life. There are some things you can't work hard for or prepare for or anything. It's been a hard lesson!
i'm really a creature of habit and a little OCD with some things, but i learned to change and adapt on my mission in guatemala where things (companion or area) basically change every 6 weeks. my experience really helped me. since then we've moved what seems like a million times and i'm actually really used to it!
What a beautiful idea, that letting things go makes room for others. I've let a few people in my life go, and while it's never easy, I feel confident that it was what was best for them and for me.
"Letting go," is something I think we all face at some point in our lives and on more than one occasion...so, so important, and yet, often easier said than done.
So much changed in my life at the end of 2011 and I think it took until now, 2013, to fully let things go, the person, the mistakes and even some of the failure I felt on different levels, but my new chapter in NYC has been opening things up for me, and at this very moment, as I type this, I am excited and hopefully...and I think that is a great place to start this new chapter! :)
Thank you for your honesty and openness, it brings so much inspiration! Lots of hugs to you!!! <3
beautiful post, i think i'm scared of finishing school and plans for afterward, i just need to let go my sense of control.
I think part of the reason I'm not too heavy into looking for a "real" job is because I'm scared to make that leap. I'm not great with change and I'm not great at letting things go.
But then I look at what I learned from my divorce and I know that changes and letting go are SO IMPORTANT. Sometimes you just need to be brave.
@Elsa That is a beautiful story. Thank you for sharing it here.
@Erika Totally. Leaving one status behind for another is such a hard thing.
Brilliant! I love that we blog the same thing on the same day. *high fives* Blogging Sister!
x.x.x
It's so funny cause I'm exactly the same right now!
My birthday was two weeks ago and I still have the balloons hanging up and I've just recently forced myself to let go of a lot of my old but beloved clothes I don't wear anymore and put them up for sale.
It's hard but sometimes change and letting go can be good things :-)
I've also just started following you and this blog so far has me hooked!
Can't wait to see more from you :-)
http://tattoosandvintagediamonds.blogspot.co.nz/
oh, this is such a hard thing for me. I HATE change and have trouble letting go. It's one of those things I'm constantly struggling with. :(
I've been back and forth from the East Coast to the West Coast so many times. Change is so so good. Sometimes scary, other times so worth it! You are going to rock and be amazing no matter where you are or what you do!
i don't like change either- it took me forever to let go of my christmas decorations too. but for me, presonally, i have a lot going on these past few months. i'm going to india to explore and then moving to seattle from chicago. the more i think about it the more excited and scared i get! well, mostly scared haha
xo Marlen
Messages on a Napkin
Shaleya- Wow! Thank you so much! And I feel ya about cleaning out the closet. I just did it and it was a lot harder than I thought it would be.
Oh I love that!
(and for the record, I don't know how to use my Dyson either!)
xo
So well written. I am trying to let go of the house and the knowing that the kids aren't going to have the financial security they had in the past. It has been really really difficult. xo
This post is so timely for me. I am dealing with a lot of unexpected change in my life lately. In fact, that was the name of my post last week.. 'unexpected changes'. As difficult and as heart breaking as these changes have been, I know deep in my heart there's a reason for them and I just have to let those reasons reveal themselves over time. Thanks for the reminder to let things go so you can let new things in.
xo
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