I recently completed a 30 day Hot Yoga challenge and throughout the 30 days, I continually asked myself, “what can I let go of?”, so that I could move deeper into my practice. The more I let go, the more I opened up and moved into my body and relaxed into the postures. Letting go of that which does not serve is probably one of the most important practices to cultivate in life. Letting go is essential to putting our bodies into the parasympathetic relaxation state so that we can shift our physiology, achieve weight loss, ease aches, pains and tensions in the body, alleviate digestive stress, reduce headaches and balance our hormones, to name a few.

The more we hold onto the things that do not serve us, the more we put our bodies into the sympathetic stress response, where we store fat, create tensions, create digestive stress, increase inflammation, and create a state of overall imbalance, leading to a variety of symptoms.

In this day and age we are always striving for more, moving fast, pushing ourselves beyond what is maintainable, trying to do it all and have it all, we are tightly wound, seeking control and perfection. The energy is intense and that no doubt has a negative impact on our health, our relationship with food and our bodies. So where can we relax? Where can we let go?

Look into these 7 areas of life and ask yourself, “where can I let it go?”

Physically – Can I let go of an exercise/workout that I hate doing? Can I let go of rigid rules around eating? Can I let go of disliking my body and being hard on myself? Can I let go of having to get to the gym every day? Can I let go of the weight that I used to use for protection?

Vocationally – Can I let go of a project or job I dislike? Can I let go of an issue I have with my boss or colleague? Can I let go of workplace drama? Can I let go of working over-time? Can I let go of clutter on my desk and in my office?

Financially – Can I let go of always worrying about money? Can I let go of stressing about debt? Can I let go of over-spending? Can I let go of always checking the stock-market?

Mentally – Can I let go of old belief systems that don’t serve me? Can I let go of negative self-talk? Can I ease up on my course load and reading list? Can I let go of all the thoughts running through my mind?

Socially – Can I let go of friends that no longer serve me? Can I say no to social commitments and engagements that I really don’t want to go to? Can I say no to volunteering that no longer inspires me? Can I let go of social issues that drive me crazy? Can I let go of social media?

Spiritually/Religiously – Can I let go of living according to someone else’s values? Can I let go of the things that don’t inspire me? Can I let go of some of the things I feel I have to do? Can I let go of religious dogma that doesn’t feel right for me? Can I let go of fears that are blocking me from moving forward in my life?

Family – Can I let go of old behaviors that don’t serve my relationships? Can I let go of the small stuff that irritates me? Can I let go of family feuds? Can I let go of past hurts and traumas that are weighing me down? Can I let go of things in my home I no longer need or use?

Wherever you can let go, you will open up. Your physiology will shift and you will bring your body, mind and soul into balance. As you let some things go, it is also wise to pay attention to where in your body you do open up, relax and shift. This will provide you with remarkable insight into how your body is affected by your stresses and where you hold your tensions. Allow “let it go” to be your mantra and your practice and just see what happens.

Amy Bondar

Inspiring. Wise. Dedicated.

Certified Eating Psychology Coach, Author and Speaker, has dedicated her life to inspiring, educating and encouraging people to realize the significant impact nourishing the body, mind and soul has on achieving optimum wellness. Her mission is to help people transform their relationship with food, their body and themselves. Amy believes nutrition is so much more than what we eat. How we eat and why eat are essential components to awakening our nutritional consciousness. If you truly would love to make a shift in the way in which you nourish yourself, visit www.amybondar.com or contact Amy at (403)245-2611.