You Are Allowed to Release What No Longer Serves You
There is a river that winds through the heart of my forest, a ribbon of silver that carries songs from the high mountains down to the sea. Every year, when the autumn moon is at its fullest, my people perform a simple ritual. We go to the riverbank, each of us holding a leaf upon which we have written a single word—a regret, a fear, a story that has grown heavy in our hearts. We stand in silence for a moment, feeling the weight of that leaf, and then we open our fingers and let the current take it.
We do not watch it float away. We simply turn and walk back into the woods, feeling inexplicably lighter.
I have come to understand that in your world, you are often taught the opposite. You are taught to cling. To endure everything, to carry every burden, to hold on to relationships, jobs, and beliefs long after they have become anchors on your soul. You are given medals for your endurance, but no one offers you a ceremony for your release.
So I am here to offer you that ceremony now. To look into your eyes and speak a truth you may not have heard in a long, long time: You are allowed to put the weight down.
Identifying the Weight
The first step is one of gentle honesty. It requires you to sit quietly with yourself and ask, with the tenderness of a friend, “What am I carrying that is no longer mine to carry?”
Perhaps it is the ghost of an old grudge, its edges worn soft by time but its poison still slow-seeping. Maybe it is the crushing weight of an expectation—from a parent, a partner, or the society around you—that never fit the shape of your own soul. It could be a story you tell yourself: I am not enough. I do not deserve good things. I must be perfect to be loved.
Or perhaps it is something more tangible: a career path that drains your light, a friendship that only ever takes, a clutter of possessions that feels more like a cage than a comfort.
These are not testaments to your strength. They are barnacles on the hull of your spirit, slowing your journey and keeping you from the open sea of your own potential.
The Permission Slip
This is the most important part, so please, read these words as if I am speaking them directly to you:
You are allowed to let go.
You are allowed to release the dream that was never meant for you. You are allowed to walk away from the people and situations that dim your light. You are allowed to change your mind. You are allowed to outgrow your own past. You are allowed to be happy, even if it means disappointing others. You are allowed to choose your own peace.
Letting go is not failure. It is not quitting. It is the highest form of self-respect. It is the courageous acknowledgment that you deserve a lighter, more joyful, more authentic life. It is an act of profound self-love to gently untie the cords that bind you to what hurts you.
A Ritual for Release
You do not need a mystical river to perform this magic. You can create a ritual of release right where you are, with what you have. The power is not in the props, but in the intention behind the act.
Here is one you can try:
Find a Quiet Moment: Light a candle if you wish. Sit comfortably and take three deep breaths.
Name and Write: On a small piece of paper, write down what you wish to release. Be specific. “The belief that I am not smart enough.” “The resentment towards X.” “The pressure to be perfect.”
Speak Your Permission: Hold the paper in your hands. Close your eyes and say aloud, “I thank you for the lessons you have taught me. But your service in my life is now complete. I release you with love and I set myself free.”
Let It Go: Safely burn the paper in a fireproof dish, watching the smoke carry the energy away. Or, tear it into tiny pieces and scatter them to the wind or flush them away. As you do, feel the internal release. Imagine the weight lifting from your shoulders.
This is not about erasing the past, but about changing your relationship to it. You are transforming a burden into a lesson, and then setting that lesson free.
My dear friend, your arms are meant to be open, ready to embrace the new wonders life has to offer. They cannot do that if they are forever clenched around old stones. Be brave. Open your hands. Let the current of your own courage carry the weight away. The space you create will not remain empty for long. It will be filled with light, with peace, and with a future you have yet to even dream of.
