Have you ever looked in a closet so crammed with clothes that you can’t find anything? As you sort through, you see outdated garments that may no longer fit or are torn and worn beyond repair? And even though you know you’ll never wear them again; you keep them.
Or how about your garage, filled with boxes that you haven’t opened in years with stuff from lifetimes ago? At one time, the items were relevant, a favorite object, or maybe it’s sentimental. Other things, you can’t remember where they came from, but instead of tossing them out, you packed them away to reminiscence with later. Now, these objects have invaded the space so much there is no room for the car.
Each of these scenarios is analogous with the beliefs and ideas we acquired as we have grown. Although we have hundreds, maybe thousands of beliefs, some are beneficial to our growth, and some are not.
Our judgments, fears, prejudices, and attitudes are a compilation of the ideas that were imposed upon us as we developed into thinking adults. They came from family, teachers, peers, culture, society, and religion. But just because someone told us they were true does not mean they are. We were good students, and we learned well. Yet, if what we were taught is no longer resonating in our now #staywoke views, it is time to challenge those teachings. The good news is, whatever we have learned can be unlearned.
The current state of the world is compelling us to reevaluate our perceptions of society. And many of us are questioning our outlooks. #Staywoke is fortuitous. Eyes are opening for the first time to social injustice, and we are observing life from a new perspective. Opening our eyes is opening our minds.
We are discovering that some things taught to us are no longer relevant in the current social climate nor to our evolution as spiritual beings.
Letting go of the old ways of thinking is the pathway to change. But letting go is hard right? Ok, I buy that if that’s your choice. How we view whether it is easy or difficult is within our control. It takes a mindset adjustment.
When I taught people to ride horses, I would instruct them to release the reins, to let go of the pressure on the horses’ mouth. With clenched fists, holding on for dear life, they would ask, but how do I do that? I would respond, open your hands.
A relaxed muscle is responsive; in contrast, a tight muscle is not. Our brain is a muscle. When we have a closed mind, we are restricting new input. A relaxed mind becomes a receptive mind.
To have a receptive mind, we need to let go of the baggage and clutter that is holding us hostage, to old and outdated thoughts. We begin by letting go of the idea that change is difficult or, worse, is impossible.
If your life is perfect, congratulations, change nothing, I know mine is not. Daily I work on letting go of attitudes and mindsets that no longer serve who I am. It takes effort to free ourselves from what has been a part of who we are. Those beliefs are not written in stone; They are not permanent.
Once we integrate into our consciousness that change is possible, we can adjust our idea of what difficulty is, opening other possibilities that will better serve who we are now. With the teeniest of mindset adjustments, changing how we view difficultly is the step understanding. We can choose how to intake information. We can perceive anything as being easy or hard, empty or full, possible, or impossible.
To let go means we have more, not less. When we let go of judgment, we gain acceptance, letting go of the anger we have composure, letting go hate we gain love. To let go allows more room to bring in the things that fit us now: decluttering space to be filled with less of what no longer benefits our lives and more of what brings us joy.
“Being content with less, creates space in the heart for more love.”
― Margo Vader