I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LETTING GO

Hello my dear friends,
 
The last time I sent a little love note your way I asked if you had the courage to choose you, to become who you want to be. I hope that little seed of a question has enabled you to find some new growth in your life.
 
I also told you that it was my intention to rewild my life, including my business, and become a bit wilder; not always do the things the way they’ve always been done. As I’ve been feeling into all of this I came across a post by Elizabeth Gilbert author of the bestselling novel “Eat, Pray, Love”. I’d like to share some of the words of her message with you below:
 
“I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LETTING GO”
 
How many times in your life have you needed to say this? And do you need to say it again?
 
I'm not just talking about letting go of a relationship. I'm talking about letting go of other things that you love, but which might be blocking you from the path that you really need to be on:

• You can love cigarettes, for instance, and know that they aren't helping you.
• You can love your hometown, while knowing at the same time that you need to go.
• You can love your house and know that it's too big for you to take care of anymore.
• You can love the people that you've worked with for ten years, but maybe it's time to let go, and start looking toward a new job.
• You can love going out to drinks with your friends on a weekday evening, while also knowing that this is the very thing that makes you too tired for the rest of the week to pursue your passions.”

 
The rest of the post spoke about how we only have one life, and this might mean that we won’t have the time to experience all the things we’d love to. In order to live the life that matters most to us then, we can choose to switch from riding life in the fast lane to the lane of “devoted focus”.
 
To do this we need to make focussed choices and we need to learn to say “no”.
 
If we want something really badly we might also have to say “no” to the things that we LOVE as well as to the things we don’t.
 
Elizabeth’s post shook me to my core.
 
All of a sudden I was feeling as if the foundations under my feet were crumbling away.
 
Was I on the right path, the one that I really needed to be on?
 
“NO”
 
Had I been feeling the need to rewild myself and my business because I wasn’t on the right path?
 
“YES”
 
More shaking!!
 
But I’d spent most of the last twenty or so years building these foundations, did this mean I had to build new one’s all over again?
 
“Not quite”
 
Well, what then?
 
“How about just a new fence and patio?”
 
If you’ve continued reading until this part you may be thinking (and quite rightly so) that Maureen has finally lost it. I’d like to reassure you this is just me talking to me, aka my best friend, my inner therapist, my higher self, God – whatever context works best for you. Talking to me works best for me. Let’s resume the conversation...
 
I’ve just had a new fence and patio built?
 
“Exactly”
 
You’re annoying me now.
 
“Why did you need a new fence and patio?”
 
The previous decking and old fence were rotting away. One of the fences was even being held up by an old yoga belt because it was nearly falling down. Also, it all looked tired and weary.
 
“A bit like yourself then? Looking tired and weary and needing propped up?”
 
Now that’s not nice.
 
“No but I have a point don’t I – I always do! Seriously think about this. What could your outer garden tell you about your inner garden?”
 
I’m getting tired and weary and needing propped up?? Really??
 
“No – stop being a drama queen. You’ve thoroughly enjoyed the last twenty odd years. You worked hard to build the life and business you have now. You have strong foundations. Perhaps your foundations just need a freshen up, some reinforcement, some maintenance, some love, new growth. Some rewilding?”
 
You’re right.
 
“Thank you – I usually am. Over to you now”.
 
I need to be on the path (or patio) of rewilding. My old self (decking) needs some maintenance. I need some reinforcement (fencing).
 
I love the current me, my life, my business but I want more and so it’s time to LET GO once more.
 
It’s time to let go of personal values and beliefs that no longer serve me. It’s time to let go of aspects of modern-day conditioning and a lifestyle that no longer serve me.
 
I no longer want:

• To be tamed.
• To be labelled.
• To be domesticated.
• To be shackled by limited expectations.

 
I want to:

• Live simply, the way I was before modern culture conditioned me.
• Write more, just for the sheer love and fun of it and see where it takes me.
• Travel more, have new adventures.
• Spend more time in my garden and in the wilds of nature where I feel grounded, alive, free, renewed and nourished.
• GROW

 I want to unapologetically be true to myself, to live an authentic life, to truly CHOOSE ME.
 
And so, the time has come for me to follow the advice given by Elizabeth Gilbert. It’s time to change lanes and head towards the path I truly want, the rewilded path.
 
It’s time to let go of some of the things I love and one of these is my business. Not the whole thing entirely, not its foundation, but some of its worn-out fences and decking! Who knows in the future it may come back revived and renewed with a brand-new hedge-row and patio?
 
The things I’ll be letting go of for now are:

• My business email list
• My business Facebook and Instagram pages
• Workshops and Well-being Programmes

 
What I’ll be holding on to (with much love):

My 121 counselling and coaching work, albeit in a reduced capacity.

• My website - https://www.ichooseme.org.uk/ - again this will be being rewilded so for a while there won’t be much content showing on it, but it will be a place where you can reach out to me if you wish to work with me on a 121 basis.
• My email address – maureen@ichooseme.org.uk – if you just want to say hello!

Although it may feel like I’m letting you go too please remember this:

“Every time I meet more of myself, I can know and love more of you” …Yung Pueblo
 
I will always hold you in my heart with the fondest of memories and much, much, love and I hope that my words today encourage you to start saying “no” in order to live the life you truly want.
 
Remember too that every ending has a new beginning, and who knows we might meet each other again on a wild and wonderous path.
 
Big hugs,
 
Maureen xx

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