"Let go" for Christmas!

If you want to be peaceful and joyful this Christmas, let go.   

Here are some of the things that have taken me 53 years to learn and to "let go"!  I hope you already know them or will learn them soon because, whew, the peace bring it will bring to you.

Let go of the need to be perfect. 

Perfection is unattainable because it's criteria is forever changing making the goal line continually moving away from you!  Don't think of all of the time you've wasted, you'll just get sad.

Let go of caring what others think of you. 

It's a waste of energy and are they really thinking and obsessing about you?  No, just you are.

Let go of the need to control everything. 

Control is an illusion we've been taught to manufacture to make ourselves feel safe and anchored. And yet, we can't control our eating or a two year old!  Learning to accept what is and to manage it is much kinder, to ourselves and the two year old.

Let go of the thought that you're not good enough. 

Nature does not make mistakes. If that feeling stems from childhood then realize you are now an adult and it's your responsibility to soothe, love and build the esteem of  the child within you.  Don't do it with cookies.

Let go of the fear of failing. 

Being paralyzed by fear of failing is actually worse than failing. Failing means you're trying and trying means you're living.  This may be the most liberating thing you will ever do.

Let go of fear.

When you are driven by fear to accomplish something you sacrifice the love and joy of your journey.  Imagine the journey you're on this minute.  Now imagine it filled with love and joy.  Better, right?

Let go of your obsession of whether to eat or not to eat.  

Food is the fuel of the human body.  Our obsession with "to eat or not to eat" has turned it into a drug over which we are powerless.  Change your relationship with food and ice cream becomes just a delicious creamy dessert instead of "the only thing on this earth that will get makes me feel better!"  

Let go of judgement, of yourself and others. 

When you judge another you are defining them by your criteria and that's hardly fair is it?  When you judge yourself you are defining yourself by the criteria of others.  Again, hardy fair. Live and let live.

Let go of jealousy. 

The accomplishment of another has no reflection on you.  It's not about you.  If their accomplishment makes you feel inadequate then you need to address "why".  

Let go of anger.

Anger is a response.  It never makes anything better or solves any problems.  Plus it turns your mouth on and your mind off which is never a good combo!

Let go of past hurt.

Hanging on to a hurtful situation from the past just weighs down your soul.  And a heavy soul has a hard time flying.

Let go of the past period.

What's done is truly done.  Learn from it and let it go.  You can never be present if you spend your time in the past.  This one took me FOREVER to learn!

Let go of resentment. 
The funny thing about resentment is rarely does the person we resent know it.  So whose feeling all that pain?  Oh, right, us.

Whew, that is a lot of "let go's"...and yup, I've lived them all!  No wonder I was so tired all the time!

My Christmas wish for each and every one of you is that you are able to "let go" of the ties that are binding you, keeping you from moving toward the life you want and deserve!