Wise Words: Like it or leave it

Welcome to the new addition to our free content we hope will be useful in your self-exploration. Every week on Wednesday we will post some wise words that we have found in random magazines or other publications and vamp some thoughts. Please share this with anyone you think could benefit from these words. Happy Wednesday!

Oooo sometimes words catch my eye for an immediately obvious reason, like a nudge from the universe, and this phrase is one of those. Sometimes a theme emerges in my clinical practice, something that I find myself discussing to the majority of my clients that particular week. This may not seem that strange, but in my practice my clients are quite varied by age, challenge, diagnosis, life circumstances, and reason for seeking my help. So to find a common theme can be special and very enjoyable to me. 

Recently, I found myself continually talking about leaving things or people alone that are no longer (or maybe never) serving a purpose for you. Maybe it is a person who says they are supportive, but continually show you they are not. Maybe it is a friend who says they will show up, but fails. Maybe it is how you define success that you need to leave behind for a more realistic or achievable definition. Perhaps it is how you see yourself that needs to be left in the dust. Maybe you have grown, maybe you have snuck in some awesomeness that you are failing to recognize, maybe you need to abandon the roles you gave yourself (or someone else gave to you) and embrace who you actually are.

At the same time, my assistant Rosie has been learning the command “LEAVE IT” in dog school. The idea is that if she has something in her mouth I don’t want her to have…a toy, a piece of food, my shoe…I firmly say LEAVE IT and she will drop it from her mouth, no questions asked. She’s becoming quite good at it, I’m happy to report, and seems to trust that I know what I’m talking about even if she thinks it a far better idea to continue consuming the tasty morsel. This is what you need to do for yourself. 

The next time you find yourself holding on to something you need to let go, yell (at the top of your lungs if you are alone…but maybe use your inside voice if you are, say, on a crowded bus)

LEAVE IT!

And then move on.