The Three L's: Love, Learn, and Let Go
Waking up early, finding balance, and breathing out pain
About a year and a half ago I was in a pretty bad car accident that led to a lengthy concussion. I thought I would need a few weeks to get through it, but it kept lingering, for weeks and months... During that time there wasn’t much I could do without my head hurting, but I did find one outlet. I started taking long walks every day with my partner. We typically walked the dog every day but it became even more of a routine and something that helped me not go absolutely crazy during this recovery season.
One day when we were walking an idea came to me to help us get to know each other more intimately and share topics that might not come up in a normal conversation. The idea was, “The Three L’s: Love, Learn, and Let go.” We started sharing something we loved about our day or something we loved about one another. Then we shared something we were learning about ourselves or life. And lastly, we shared something we needed to let go of to have greater peace and joy. It has become something fun we do every once in a while or something we offer to one another when we are feeling low or out of sorts. For instance, one of us will be having a tough day and the other says “Can you give me three L’s?” It always has a way of pulling us out of a funk and helping us connect deeper to one another and ourselves.
I wanted to share this with you in case you needed a tool for personal reflection or deeper connection with a partner or loved one. I also wanted to share a few L’s that I’ve been thinking on lately in hopes it will inspire and encourage you for your week ahead.
Love
I am unexpectedly loving waking up at 6am. Don’t get me wrong, the 2pm slump is still hitting me hard, but I’m getting into the habit and finding myself actually looking forward to the early wake up call. There’s something so peaceful about being awake before the world gets moving. It’s that space of time where nothing “has to be done” and no one is calling or emailing. It’s time for you. I’ve made the decision to start waking up earlier to have more time for writing and working on my book. As much as I love the peace and quiet, I know that the purpose of why I am waking up earlier is what’s really driving me. No matter how tired I am, I feel excited waking up every day because I know I am getting one step closer toward my goal.
What’s one goal you are working toward right now? How can you create more space in your days to make it happen?
Learn
A lesson I am being reminded of right now is that when we are out of balance, our bodies will be the first to tell us. I experienced this frequently as an athlete. I’d often get injured when I’d work out for too many days straight or not build in rest days. My little hard-headed self never wanted to listen to my body. I’ve seen the same pattern in my adult life except now when I notice tightness or pain, I am quicker to listen and question if something is out of balance. I’ve made a commitment to myself this month to roll out my yoga mat once a week and spend at least 10 minutes a day moving my body.
What’s one commitment you can make to yourself this week to help create more balance?
Let Go
Speaking of balance… I went to get a massage last week because the right side of my neck and upper back have been killing me. She told me I was all locked up. I thought, “yea, no kidding ha!” She also reminded me that in eastern philosophy the right side of the body is referred to as the masculine and the left side as the feminine. This is not to be confused with gender, but rather an expression of energy. For instance, the masculine is often the energy of effort, intentionality, drive, and push. The feminine is often associated with flow, ease, and surrender. We need both to be our most whole selves. My massage therapist reminded me that when I feel pain intensify in these areas, to pause, breathe and practice letting go. Our breath and intention can work miracles.
Reminder: when you feel pain or tension this week, take a breath, and on the exhale, practice letting go.
What are you loving, learning, or letting go of this week? I’d love to hear in the comments.
With love and gratitude,
Danielle