Autumn is one of the most magical times of the year, as trees and plants put on one of their most impressive displays, discarding what they will no longer need going into the new year. And this season also has much to teach us about the process of letting go and acceptance of our past.
The next time you go for a brisk autumn stroll, why not take the opportunity to slow down and think about what the natural world can teach us about acceptance, letting go, and forgiveness?
Letting Go is Hard but Necessary for Growth
The natural world gives us the perfect example of the need to let go of the past to flourish in the future. In order to grow taller, stronger, and healthier during the next year, plants and trees must let go of all the leaves, branches, and flora that no longer serve them going into the new season.
By discarding rotting leaves and branches, plants can spend the winter focusing all the energy they acquire on strengthening their roots and developing stronger growth when the next Spring rolls around.
But, as ideal as it may seem, it can sometimes feel deceptively good to hold on to anger, hurt feelings, and negative feelings that we have accumulated during the past.
Letting Go If We Have Been Wronged
If we feel we have been wronged by friends and family members, employers, or partners – our pride and sense of justice can override all other concerns. We can sometimes hold on to our sense of being “right” at the expense of progressing in our lives and relationships.
It can be difficult to learn how to forgive, particularly if our sense of self is very heavily invested in our own moral superiority.
Letting Go of Careers, Plans, and Relationships Which No Longer Serve Us
Another strong emotional pull that may be stopping us from letting go is the sense that we have already invested too much in a person, job, or situation to let go and leave them behind.
The process of falling in love, developing a friendship, and growing a career may have already taken so many years and so much effort that the idea of letting go makes all the time you have previously invested seem worthless.
Letting Go and Forgiveness
To set ourselves on the path where we no longer hold grudges and begin to allow ourselves to grow, we need to learn the act of forgiving. Whether that means forgiving others or forgiving ourselves.
The process of forgiveness can be incredibly freeing and is essential if you hope to maintain a healthy relationship with others or your sense of self.
Letting Go and Acceptance
To start healing and moving towards feeling good, we need to work on accepting the situation as it is and not as we would like it to be.
How much longer are you going to continue investing your time, energy, and emotions into a situation which doesn’t afford you peace of mind and could be damaging to your mental health?
What Can We Learn During Autumn About Letting Go?
Sometimes You Need to Clear Away the Debris of the Past
Each year plants and flowers discard the leaves and petals they have grown throughout the year, to make room for stronger, better growth for the next season. What thought processes, behaviours, and routines do you need to discard?
To take advantage of new growth opportunities, you need to make an active effort to self-assess and become aware of how the past may be holding you back. Which bad habits, negative thought patterns, and damaging self-beliefs have you acquired over the years which are holding you back from developing into the person you want to be?
Your Past Mistakes Can Provide Fuel for Your Future Growth
As plants discard their leaves, these fall to the ground, rot, and become compost which can fuel further growth. Similarly, we can look to past mistakes and learning experiences to improve our future selves.
As Much As Branches Break, Trunks Can Remain Strong
No matter how much a plant’s branches and twigs are broken and damaged, if their roots and trunk remain undamaged, there is always room for new growth.
Each life experience we have builds up our knowledge and strengthens us the next time we encounter a comparable situation. As long as we can weather the storm and learn from the experience – our sense of self, our internal strength, and coping mechanisms can all be improved.
When the Time is Right, New Growths Emerge
When plants discard their previous year’s growth, they do not immediately grow again. For the winter months, the trees and flowers will conserve their energy to develop deeper, stronger roots.
In a similar way, to ensure stronger growth in the future, you will need to work hard on yourself, your thought processes, and your mental health. You need to assess what has got you to where you are today and what you need to work on before you can begin to move forward in the direction you now want to go.
How Can RTT Therapy Help You with Letting Go of Your Past?
Letting go and acceptance of our past can be incredibly difficult processes. Much of our current sense of self comes from our past experiences, relationships, and traumas. Our thought processes, self-image, and internal voices can be shaped by negative experiences, and in seeking to avoid further harm these can stop us from progressing entirely.
An experienced RTT therapist can help you to examine which aspects of your thinking, behaviours, and attachments are halting your growth and work on changing these so that you can begin to flourish once more. Have you tried it?