Jan 22, 2025
We all carry things—stress, shame, old patterns, the weight of “not good enough.” Sometimes we hold on because it feels safer than facing the unknown. But what if letting go isn’t about forgetting or forcing—it’s about making room to breathe?
Letting go doesn’t mean pretending you’re okay. It means recognising when something—an emotion, belief, or habit—is no longer helping you heal.
This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about slowly, gently releasing what keeps you stuck, so you can move toward something lighter.
5 Gentle Ways to Let Go (Even When It’s Hard):
1. Breathe Through It
Stress lives in the body. Try this reset:
Inhale for 4 → hold for 4 → exhale for 6.
Let the exhale carry something out. Just one breath is a start.
2. Don’t Suppress—Acknowledge
You don’t have to fix your feelings. Try:
“I notice this thought. I feel this tension. And I choose to release it now.”
Name it. Feel it. Then let it move.
3. Journal to Unload the Noise
Put your thoughts somewhere safe—like a page or the Elara chat. You don’t need to analyse it. Just let your brain stop holding it all.
4. Show Yourself Some Compassion
Messy past? Same. Talk to yourself like you would someone you love.
“I did the best I could with what I knew. And that’s enough for today.”
5. Create a Simple Let-Go Ritual
Close your eyes. Picture yourself dropping the thought, the worry, the pressure. Let it float away—like breath on a cold window.
Letting go isn’t a one-and-done thing. It’s a practice. A choice you make every time your nervous system wants to hold on tight.
And you don’t have to do it alone.
Elara can help you practice this in real time—just start a chat and say what you’re holding onto. Or grab our free DBT Pocket Book—it includes grounding tools and prompts for release and relief.