Stretch
Letting Go to Get More
I was stretching at the gym today after a full week of travel followed by a week of intense exercise and long periods of sitting at the computer.
Everything was tight. Everything hurt.
As I stretched one leg over the other, I felt my brain signal my IT band to release.
My brain cried out "ALERT!" but before I could even react, my body overruled it.
Instantly, my leg relaxed and moved deeper into the stretch.
This kept happening. Every stretch, my entire body released with almost a sigh of relief. I've never experienced this quite so intensely or with such frequency.
I realized in that moment that the pain came from holding on - and my fear of letting go.
Actually letting go felt pleasurable, expansive, deeply relaxing. Necessary.
The experience got me thinking about so many conversations I've had recently about holding on and letting go.
What is the cost of holding on?
What if letting go was worth it? What if the pain only exists in our fear of letting go? In holding on?
What if joy, pleasure, fulfillment lay in letting go?
What if letting go was more, not less?
What might be possible then?
