"why don't you try to let go?" Is a sentence all too often heard and yet, much easier saidthan done! But can we really “let go”? In this article, we dive into the brain to help us see more clearly!
What is “letting go”?
By leafing through a dictionary, you will come across this definition, Letting go: “Means of psychological liberation consisting in detaching oneself from the desire for control.” So yes, it is nicely said, but it is a little vague! Busy days, loss of confidence, family problems, financial problems ... There are many negative thoughts and emotions that could keep running through your head and have a negative impact on your health. It is at this precise moment that we should try and "let go", try to stop wanting to control everything and not be overwhelmed by stress. The need to "let go" is found in fatigue, constant irritability and anxiety ... All these symptoms are the signs that we must act.
Letting go is a more complicated activity than it seems.
Making it clear to your brain that it's time to move on can be difficult. Sometimes the inability to let go is the result of mental trauma related to early childhood. Children who have known a youth supervised by strict parents will find it harder to let go: controlling everything from life style to posture can also lead to a fear of academic failure ... These factors can clutter the development and therefore, inhibit letting go. By deciding to accept that you cannot control everything, you’re facing the unknown. Sometimes it's the mental load that will keep you from letting go. How are you suppose to stop stressing if no one is there to help you take care of the kids or household chores?
However, there are risks to your health. Burnout, depression, heart disease ... This is why learning to let go is necessary despite a real need for control.
Here are some calm exercises to learn to let go.
There are different ways to try to let go. Are you stressed? Overwhelmed by all the tasks you have to do at home? At work? Make lists of what is urgent and what is not. Do you have an electronic diary? Give yourself the time you need to complete your activities and write it down. Do you have to go shopping? Make sure your agenda is clear & organized and you don’t put 2 tasks at the same time! The bullet journal can also be a good solution! Take a pre-filled edition - a blank copy can take a long time, but if you can, do it yourself! This will allow you to note your appointments, list your daily activities and above all to organize yourself in the long run. You can also put your personal goals or your thoughts of the day on a page. Beware, the bullet journal must remain a personal moment. Take 30 minutes in the morning to fill out your notebook: do whatever you want with it. Personal diary ? Calendar? The key is to take this time for yourself to take stock of your daily activities or just if you need to write down what you have in mind.
Take time for yourself, time to rest your brain. As soon as you have a few free minutes, you’re already thinking about something else! Sit back and think about yourself, even in the shower, close your eyes and try to do meditation exercises. You don’t need for 3 hours to relax. There are plenty of apps on your phone’s App Store that can allow you, in 10 minutes, to release the tensions that invade your mind. Cardiac coherence can also be useful for you. This breathing exercise allows you to calm your heart rate and therefore decreasing the hormone that appears under stress: cortisol.
It does not work? Do thoughts keep on recurring in your mind? It's up to you to chase them off by thinking of something inspiring, positive and visualize it, soak up the spirit and fill it up with optimism for the day!
Physical activities to put your mind at ease.
Sport is one of those activities that will help your brain focus on something else. If you feel the need to calm down and stay focused on your breathing, yoga could be good for you. You can do this at any time of the day, it's up to you to choose your moment of fulfillment! Need more dynamic muscle building? Try pilates! Do it at home or even outside if the weather is nice.
Sports that require concentration are also good to help you to let go for a few hours. Climbing, archery or rifle shooting may be some of the sports that will help you finally let go.
Do you want to improve your cardio? Need to drain an overflow of energy? The benefits of running are now commonly knowledge. A few minutes or several hours, it's up to you! In addition, while running, you will secrete hormones of well-being: endorphins, which will decrease your mental excitement.
However, there's no need to put pressure on yourself, do it for your personal enjoyment, but it's entirely possible that new goals will emerge. Because doing sports does not necessarilycome with a desire to change physically, it can also be a desire to change mentally. This new routine in your daily life can help you better manage your emotions and therefore take control of your life!
If this does not allow you to let go and stress continues to plague you, do not hesitate to consult a health professional who can advise you further. For your well-being, several treatments exist, this is the opportunity to discover the remedy most suited to your situation.