Nature Inspired Letting Go

As the beauty of spring is blooming all around me, I reflect back on the force with which winter cleared it’s excess to make room for the incredible growth. The winter storms this past season brought a violent uprooting of trees, limbs and terrain. Talk about letting go!

What does this mean for us? Nature’s dramatic changes can inspire us to let go. If we were to remove our excess, how magnificently could we bloom?

There are different types of letting go. Sometimes our actual clutter takes up physical space in our lives, which prevents us from moving freely about our homes. This type of clutter not only crowds us, but also takes a toll on our emotional well-being. When we allow ourselves to clear our spaces and release the excess possessions, papers and “stuff,” we begin to create room for what we actually desire. We breathe better, feel lighter, calmer and happier.

Sometimes letting go has to do less with physical possessions but more with negative thoughts or beliefs that hold us back. When we feed ourselves negative messages like “I am incapable of being organized” or “I am a total disaster,” these limiting beliefs prevent us from moving forward. When we decide to let go of the negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones, we create possibilities for wonderful changes.

There is another kind of letting go. Are you holding someone so tightly that you are stifling both his or her growth and yours? We cannot control everything or everyone. When we feel the need to control people, be it our children, spouses, friends or others, not only does it prevent them from thriving but it also holds us back. It takes much more energy to hold on then it does to let go.

The chaos and disarray of the winter storms have given way to the clearing of the landscape and bountiful growth of spring. As I look outside, I am acutely aware how nature’s severe pruning while disturbing, was essential. Growth comes out of discomfort and struggle. Letting go may not be easy, but it can be life altering in a positive way. Release your excess and delight in what transpires!

Comments

[Margaret Pearson Pinkham]

Linda, thank you for this essay. I have long touted the wonders of nature and organizing. Researchers have found that time spent in nature actually helps us to focus, and being able to focus is essential when we are trying to organize or sort and purge. So if Mother Nature didn't do enough pruning in your yard this winter, go out and do some yourself, and then come back in refreshed and ready to "prune" inside!

[Christine Simiriglia]

This is a great piece. There is a certain order in nature that allows us to let go of our our own "stuff" and trust that with each season will come a fresh start. I wrote a little piece here that your readers might find interesting: http://www.organize-more-stress-less.com/home/2009/10/6/order-in-nature.html

I love reading your "stuff".

[Linda Samuels]

Thank you for sharing your story about Pete and Penelope, Christine. I'm sure that my readers will enjoy it too.