5 Holistic Ways to Practice Letting Go This Fall

Create a letting go ritual.

Create a yearly ritual for letting go of what is no longer serving you. Here are some suggestions:

• • Write down things you want to let go of on leaves and send them down a river or creek.
  • Write down things you want to let go of on a piece of paper. Put the piece of paper inside a balloon and release it into the sky.
  • Write down things you want to let go of on biodegradable paper, bury it in the ground, and plant a flower or tree over it as a symbol of growth.

Declutter your spaces.

Outer order contributes to inner calm. Letting go of belongings that don’t spark joy or create clutter help to give us a fresh start and help us emotionally feel a release.

Practice deep breathing exercises.

Inhale something you wish to invite into this season of your life, and exhale what is no longer serving you, visualizing the release.

Use progressive muscle relaxation.

We often hold tension in the body without even noticing it. Progressive muscle relaxation involves tensing and relaxing various muscle groups in the body to release any residual tension in the body, which helps to calm the mind. Progressive muscle relaxation is typically practiced as a meditation, but it can be useful in a crisis or if you only have a few minutes. Grouping multiple muscle groups together can save you time but still give you that feeling of relaxation. Click here for a helpful guide to practicing progressive relaxation or watch our free 15-minute progressive muscle relaxation meditation!⁠

Practice half smiling and willing hands.

This technique helps to physically release the holding patterns in your body. When you notice yourself clinging to something, take a moment to pause. Soften your belly, relax your shoulders down away from your ears. Soften the muscles of your face. Flip your palms to face up and form a slight smile.