Letting go is hard. But it leads to freedom. It leads to a decline in stress. And it’s a skill that is essential to living the life that you most desire.
Leo Babauta has convinced me that the art of letting go is the key (if there is only one key) to a meaningful life. The one skill that makes everything else a whole lot easier. He convinced me an an ebook that he wrote that he is giving away for free. You don’t even have to subscribe to his email list or anything.
It’s simply free. I read it in one day and loved it. Learn more here.
As I went over to Zenhabits.net just a few minutes ago to snag the link to the ebook, his most recent post distracted me. I’m quoting the last 3 paragraphs as they really hit me:
My daughter leaves her legos all over the living room? A love note for me — yay! My son left his cookie crumbs all over the counter? Another love note — amazing! I can pick up after them gratefully, or give them a hug of thanks and ask them to clean up.
The legos can be seen as frustrating, because why don’t they clean up, or I can see them as the physical manifestation of my daughter’s personality, the things she’s passionate about, the playfulness in her heart. And I can realize that if she weren’t living with me, yes I’d have a lovely neat nevermessy home … but then she wouldn’t be in my life.
So now I see the legos as a reminder that I have this beautiful person in my life. A love note, unintended unexpected unendurably full of love.
At this moment I’m at my parents enjoying the noise of my 9 month nephew Emmett playing around with blocks. “He loves blocks” is what Emmett’s Grandmother just shouted to me.
Emmett makes a mess when he eats and plays and also in his diaper but that is what Leo calls a love note. And I’m falling in love with this idea.
If you learn to let go then you’ll be able to instead view random acts around the home as love notes. Imagine being able to hug your child for a messy room instead of yelling at them? Don’t you think it’s possible that they would be more open to cleaning their room?
For me personally, I know that when someone demands something of me, I naturally become a rebel and don’t want to do that thing. So next time your spouse fails to do the dishes, let go of the angry feeling (first feel it but then let go) and instead surprise him or her with a hug.
I mean… why not?
Once you read Leo’s free ebook, The One Skill you’ll be able to let go and before you know it, you’ll see love notes everywhere you go.
SOURCE: Primal Toad – Read entire story here.
