“Be like a tree and let the dead leaves drop” – Rumi
My Autumnal surroundings today reminded me of this brilliant quote, so I decided to 'be more tree'! That doesn't really mean handstands in the forest though.. it's all about letting the 'dead leaves drop'.
Metaphorical 'dead leaves' come in many forms. We all have things in life it's important to let go of in order to let new buds grow. I'll list some examples below in the hope of one resonating with you and perhaps encourage you let something drop too.
As a former 'sick person', some dead leaves I had to drop were connecting that 'illness' to my identity. "I'm chronically ill" was something I had to let go of in order to get better!
As a former chubby kid, I had dead leaves to let go of there too. 'Ugly duckling syndrome' is a tough one to shake, but the less I identified as someone who was overweight, and started identifying as a guy who is always improving his health and fitness, I started seeing dramatic changes.
Dead leaves can also come in the form of toxic relationships. Letting go of those that consistently drain your energy and hold you back over months and years will leave space in your life for others that energise you, love and support your efforts and add true value.
If you're feeling brave, share the dead leaves you've managed to let drop. Maybe it'll inspire someone else to do the same, we're all here to teach and help one another after all 🙏