Hold Things Lightly
Surrender the serious.
Hold. Things. Lightly.
Hold things the way you held them as a child when you were draped over a favourite branch, eyes skyward, mind’s eye allowing every imagination its full adventure and its inevitable end.
How wise our young selves were for holding the day’s activities so lightly. We painted frequently, despite not being Picasso. We danced our young bones across vast lounge floors, before grown-up eyes. We fell on well-scraped knees, we cried, we moved on. We allowed ourselves our living.
These days, with our adult apertures kept so small and gripped so tight, we forget. We forget that no one really knows what the deal is with being alive. We forget our true selves in the ways we harden and strive. We forget to look down at our hands, straining with all they’re holding, and to soften them and allow gravity to do its thing.
Look around. It’s ridiculous here on earth. And no one gets out alive. There’s a good chance Life takes itself pretty lightly. Look into nature. Ever heard of a seed whining that it wasn’t yet a 100-year-old Yellowwood? No. It just gets on with growing into itself. No judgement. No comparison to the progress of the Fig next door.
Also, have you ever witnessed fully-formed giant trees being casually stamped into the earth, immediately able to claim expert tree status? Never!
What I mean is: we all start from zero and we’re all somewhere on our separate paths from seed to tree. Along the way, twigs will break, there will be a drought, our leaves will get chomped, some of us may get stomped on, sometimes repeatedly. This is how it is and it’s okay.
It doesn’t have to mean we should be serious all the time or that certain things (work, money, goals) are definitely serious things. The act of doing anything, doesn’t have to be so heavy.
You don’t need to live in the trenches of yourself or of what you do in the world in order to succeed. Read that again and try it on for size.
When I hold myself lightly, I join up with myself. When I hold my work lightly, I enjoy it and make meaningful progress because I’m not spending my time worrying if it’s enough or if it’s right for everyone or if this is how you do it best.
On the days I get it right to hold myself and my work lightly, I find I have ample room to move through the hard parts. I have space to feel a little exposed and still hit ‘publish’ on my website because, held lightly, it’s just a website. I have room to allow the discomfort of doing new things everyday and still be able to find my footing in the newness because why not?
Holding things lightly will get us further, faster than gravely dragging our adult bones ever will. Also, it’s fun on the light side and there’s a trampoline with wise friends on it.
Want to start living from a place of personal power? Get my free course.
Roxana Bouwer is a women’s empowerment coach and mentor.
Her mission is to help women live life from a place of power and pleasure.
Her work is for you if you want to rediscover your authentic self, level up and change your life’s trajectory. Learn more: roxanabouwer.com
