I often hear people saying, “Just let it go.” A common piece of advice, especially when dealing with behaviours or coping mechanisms we have carried with us throughout our lives, and no longer serve us. But what does letting go mean? And can’t we truly do that?
You can’t just let go of these patterns. This becomes even more evident when you catch yourself doing or saying things you no longer want to, particularly when you are under stress. So, how to change then?
Trees shed their leaves to survive the winter, only to use them as nourishment for future growth in spring. Instead of attempting to let go of your coping mechanisms, you can choose to learn from what no longer serves you. Embrace the lessons and use them as opportunities for self-improvement.
START WITH SELF INQUIRY
It all starts with self-reflection and self-knowledge. What did you say? What did you do? Can you look at these actions with compassion and understand where they originate from? Can you slowly come to accept that these mechanisms have also helped you and brought you to where you are now?
You do not need to let go of these mechanisms. Embrace them. Embrace what you have experienced, comprehend where they come from and use that knowledge to grow and evolve.
LEARN FROM YOUR PAST
Choose a new path. It’s not about letting go. It’s about learning and growing from the experiences you have accumulated. Because have you ever truly been able to completely let go or forget something?
Often, significant experiences stay with us, even when we think we have let them go. So let’s look at the trees outside and use the soil of those experiences to develop new behaviours that are more serving and suitable for you.
BUILD NEW HABITS
It will require commitment and plenty of practice but building new habits ultimately helps you to stay closer to yourself. Even during times of stress.Creating a new routine takes time. Allow yourself to take that time and be patient, because it often takes weeks of consistent effort before a behaviour or habit becomes automatic.
It helps to stay focused on the benefits of your new habit. Can you visualize the positive changes it will bring into your life?
SET CLEAR GOALS
If you are aware which coping mechanism is not serving you anymore and you want to commit to building new habits, set clear goals for yourself. This not only helps you to stay focused, it also gives you the opportunity to reward yourself.
Celebrate your successes and milestones along the way. We oftentimes forget how important it is to celebrate and to reward yourself with your growth.
GET SUPPORT
You don’t have to walk this journey of building new habits by yourself. Support not only helps you to set clear and realistc goals, it also helps you to discover your blind spots. Furthermore, an accountability partner to helps you steer in the right direction and helps you to reflect and take rest. And at the end, will celebrate your goals with you.
Are you looking to break old patterns and creating new habits? Let us discover together what a private programme can do for you. Plan an intake to discover your journey.