Good morning.
It's Friday, October thirtieth.
End of the week.
End of the month, almost.
You've probably been carrying something.
All week long.
Maybe it's a comment someone made.
It stung more than you let on.
Or a worry that follows you around.
From room to room.
Into the shower.
Into bed at night.
Take a second.
Let it come to mind.
You know the one.
The one you almost told a friend about.
Then said, "It's fine."
Notice how heavy it is.
Where you hold it.
We have six minutes.
Let's see if you can set it down.
Three big sighs.
Don't be polite about them.
Take a big breath in through your nose...
fill all the way up.
And let it out.
A long, loud sigh.
Like you just sat down after work.
Again.
Big breath in...
And Even sigh it out.
louder, Let if you can.
your shoulders drop with it.
Last All one.
the way in...
And let it all go.
Everything.
Notice your body now.
It might feel Like a little looser.
you set down a backpack.
Picture yourself outside.
A sidewalk on a fall morning.
Trees overhead, red and gold.
A leaf drifts down.
Right into your hand.
Look at it.
Dry at the edges.
Veins running through it.
Now let that heavy thing...
the one you've been carrying...
into move the leaf.
All of it.
The words, and the replaying.
Feel the leaf heavier.
get a little Your chest gets a little lighter.
Now hold your hand out flat.
Palm up.
You don't have to throw it.
You don't have to do anything.
Just stop gripping.
A breeze comes along the street.
It lifts the edge of the leaf.
And takes it.
Watch it tumble.
Over the sidewalk.
Past the mailbox.
It gets smaller.
Blends in with all the other leaves.
You can't even tell which one it was.
Maybe some part of you wants it back.
That's normal.
We get attached to what hurts.
You can always pick it up later.
If you really need to.
But for now...
let the wind have it.
The trees do this every fall.
They let go of everything.
And they're fine in spring.
Say these softly to yourself.
I don't have to carry this.
I can let go.
Even a little at a time.
Rest in the space it left.
Notice how much room there is.
Your hand is empty now.
Open and light.
Listen to the leaves skittering down the street.
The wind in the branches above.
Rattling the last few that hang on.
Somewhere a neighbor is raking.
Slow, scratchy strokes.
No hurry at all.
If the heavy thing drifts just back...
open your hand again.
Let the wind take it.
Let the street Feel fade.
the room around you.
Roll your shoulders back.
Shake out your hands, gently.
One light breath in...
And out.
Here's one thing for today.
Look at your to-do list.
Find one task you don't need to do.
There's usually one.
Maybe two.
The thing you added out of guilt.
The one that's been there since August.
Cross it off.
Without doing it.
Notice how that feels.
Probably pretty good.
Maybe a little rebellious.
Open your eyes when you're ready.
Go into the weekend a little lighter.