The Freedom of Letting Go (Rewild Your Well-being, Part IV)
Every creative project begins with a process of gathering materials, ideas and inspiration. We can think of our lives as immense creative projects filled with gathered resources: beliefs, routines, objects, obligations and experiences.
It’s been my experience that the most important part of living a creative life isn’t in the gathering—it’s in the sorting. Without a willingness and a process to sort through what we’ve collected and discard what no longer fits, our life masterpiece remains hidden beneath the weight of it all.
Letting go is a conscious practice of loosening your attachment to an outcome, an old identity, a past experience, or a way of living that no longer serves you. It’s about accepting what is, without feeling the need to control or resist it. It's a deep act of surrender, which is not an easy thing to do.
Our resistance to letting go is deeply wired. We've been taught to persist by holding onto what’s familiar, even if it’s uncomfortable. Our brains are hardwired for certainty and control, and letting go feels like the exact opposite of that. It's an invitation into the unknown, which can be terrifying. For many of us, our identity has become so intertwined with our past roles and accomplishments that letting go of them feels like letting go of ourselves.
But here’s the key: staying stuck in a past that no longer serves you requires immense energy. When you refuse to let go, you’re forced to work against the natural current of your life. The same friction that you feel when you’re pushing too hard to accomplish something is the same friction you feel when you’re clinging to an outdated belief.
The consequence of living this way is that your energy is focused on the past, not the future. Over time, you lose spontaneity, curiosity and vitality—the signposts of a wild and well-lived life. In the end, what you gain in perceived security, you lose in freedom. The life you were meant to live remains hidden under a heavy layer of all you’ve collected along the way.
In nature, shedding is a vital act of self-preservation, not loss. It’s a fundamental principle of the wild. Think of a tree letting go of its leaves, a snake shedding its skin, or a buck dropping its antlers. These are not acts of defeat; they’re acts of innate wisdom. Nature has no emotional attachment to fallen leaves or outgrown skin – it simply releases what’s no longer needed to conserve energy for the next season and make way for new growth and renewal.
This rewilding principle provides a wonderful model for us to emulate. But even though nature lets go naturally, for us, it requires courage. It’s an invitation to willingly face and release what we have accumulated in order to find true freedom. And that freedom is on the other side of letting go.
So, where do you begin? Start by considering the different layers of your life:
Mental: Mental shedding is about releasing what you've been conditioned to believe so you can think and feel more clearly. What old beliefs or limiting narratives are you still carrying that no longer serve you? What repeated stories are you telling yourself that are weighing you down?
Emotional: Emotional shedding is often the most profound. What draining commitments or unfulfilling obligations are not serving you? Are you holding onto emotional baggage like blame, judgment, worry, or even old anger and resentment? Letting go of emotional weight is about giving yourself permission to honor your feelings and clear a path for what's next.
Physical: Our physical world is a mirror of our inner state. A cluttered desk or overflowing inbox can be a constant, low-grade source of stress. Shedding physically is about letting go of what you don't use or need, along with the emotional weight of nostalgia. Physical shedding is a tangible way to create space in your life for something new.
For many of us, the resistance to letting go is tied to a deeper fear—that we might lose ourselves or lose control. But true growth doesn't happen when we're clinging to the past. It happens when we have the courage to let go and create space for the future.
When we choose to shed what no longer serves us, the benefits are not just emotional or spiritual—they are profoundly physiological. The science of simplicity tells us that our brains are not designed to manage a constant, overwhelming volume of information, obligations and possessions.
When we release what’s unnecessary, we significantly reduce our cognitive load — the mental effort required to make decisions and process all the noise. This is a primary driver of chronic stress, anxiety and decision fatigue. By lightening your load, you are literally giving your mind a chance to breathe.
This reduction in mental burden creates space for a new kind of freedom. When your mind isn’t preoccupied with the clutter of the past or the weight of unfulfilling obligations, you can experience greater clarity and presence. Your ability to focus on the moments that matter is restored. You can think more clearly, listen more deeply, and show up fully for yourself and the people you love. This is the simple yet profound result of letting go. It is a return to your most natural state.
“Try This” Exercise: The Practice of Wu Wei
Wu Wei is an ancient practice of letting go of your need to control, allowing you to live in a state of alignment with the flow of life, without force or struggle.
We’re applying this principle to the tangible act of decluttering. The intention is to practice letting go without struggle or stress, while being mindful of how this state opens you to the flow of new insights and inspiration. This practice is divided into two parts: an outer and an inner practice.
The Outer Practice
The goal of the outer practice is to experience effortless action in a small, contained task.
Choose Your Area: Select one very small, contained area to declutter—a single drawer, a small bookshelf, or a few desktop files. Choose a space you see daily and one that does not stir excessive emotion, avoiding things like old photo albums for this first attempt.
Begin with Calm: Before you begin, take a deep breath to settle into a state of mindful, intentional calmso you can work without struggle or force.
Flow, Don't Force: As you sort through the items, listen to your intuition rather than your inner critic. Let it guide you in what to keep and what to release. The moment you feel overwhelmed, or the process no longer feels easy, simply walk away. You can always come back to it. The purpose is to get a sense of how simplicity feels, and to experience what it's like to work in alignment and flow, instead of against it.
The Inner Practice
Decluttering is about more than just what's in your home; it's also about understanding that clutter is often a symptom of a deeper longing or belief. These emotions of attachment need to be acknowledged and released as well.
Seek the Root Cause: As you engage with the decluttering process, pause to reflect. Ask yourself: "What is this clutter trying to tell me?" or "What need am I trying to fill?" This quiet moment of reflection can help you get to the root cause of the inflow, allowing you to not only release the past, but also to stop creating more clutter and struggle in your future.
Practice the Courage to Release: This inner work is where the true courage comes in. It’s much easier to simply toss an old item than it is to sit in the stillness and confront what it was trying to fulfill. By facing this inner truth, you’re doing the real work of rewilding – clearing away the beliefs and habits that have been holding you back so you can return to a state of being truly free.
By embracing the wisdom of Wu Wei, you’ll discover that true freedom isn’t found in constant struggle, but in the practice of acceptance and letting go, an important step of Rewilding Your Well-being. It’s a return to a more natural rhythm — one that honors rest, requires less force, and allows for genuine restoration.
In the end, you’ll find that the most powerful act of creation isn’t always adding something new; sometimes, it’s about revealing the masterpiece that was there all along. Because you’re not defined by what you’ve collected, but by what you've had the courage to release. And that lighter, more resilient self is perfect for the journey ahead.
Journal Reflections: Where in your life are you controlling an outcome? What would it feel like to simply let go? What new space or energy might emerge once you do?
Links:
Free PDF: Outdoor Wellness Integration Checklist
YouTube: The Athena Wellness Channel
Work with Kathy: Coaching Opportunities
Email Kathy: hello@athenawellness.com