My little family and I recently attended the Fort Worth Water Lantern Festival at Panther Island Pavilion on the Trinity River. Since it was our first time attending, we didn't know what to expect, but we all went with open minds and happy hearts. Our daughter brought one of her closest friends with us and we really enjoyed the outdoors, the food trucks, and fun souvenirs to remember the evening by. Sheesh...can't forget about the thousands of trinkets you can buy at any festival to later remind you of the shenanigans that went down. Speaking of, every little boy needs to have a miniature Huggy-Wuggy keychain to commemorate a night of releasing a water lantern on a river, am-ah-right?. Ooooh, I got jokes...I digress...It truly was an evening way deeper than I had probably imagined even though I didn't know what to expect. Releasing anything you have a bond to is tough. Sometimes the bonds are unhealthy and that's where the beauty enters in...when we realize we have the power within us to choose differently of what we hold onto and what we need to let go of. Thoughts. Items. Circumstances. People. Expectations. Hhmmmm...E X P E C T A T I O N S. That's the key. Remove expectations and gain so.much.freedom.
The best feeling is the feeling of freedom that overtakes me when I release a situation, certain items, or sometimes even a person. When I release an obsession with items by choosing to donate them. When I release any hurt by choosing to forgive. When I release frustrations by choosing to take a step back and take a break. When I release expectations by choosing to give my love without attachment to any one outcome. When I release strongholds by choosing to apply the art of saying, "No." to what is not right for me or my little family. When I whole heartedly release, I can then soak in the best in any situation. When I free myself, and others of expectations, I can then take in the moments or seasons for the best they represent. Part of this is also creating healthy boundaries. Keeping priorities where they should be. Saying no to certain activities and saying yes to the right ones. Keeping certain people at an arms length. At the same time, still choosing to love each circumstance without attachment. Again-choose to release expectations. Freedom. Can you sense it all over you? Release. Let go of what you can't control. Choose to make better choices in the direction you know you should be going. Choices you can control. Choices to help you create positive changes. What you dwell on is your choice.
Releasing brings the joy back into your core. It creates space for life to spark again. More space to find the good in any situation. Might be difficult to face some of those skeletons, but it will be worth the effort you put into seeking them out to confront them and void their power over you. Take a peek. Dare you...no...I double-dog dare you to! If it's super shaky starting out, maybe just sit and journal a minute to try and list a few things or situations that have been replaying in your mind. Start small. Just one instance. Once you have one item, or situation, or person listed...speak life over that. Speak love over that. Speak forgiveness over that. Speak health over that. Take a deeeep breath in. Then exhale the air slowly. Then release. Release it all with the power of your breath. Release it all with the strength of your heart. Release it and allow peace to waltz in. Aaahhhhhh...feels so sweet already. Do this every day if you need to until you feel that peace overtake you and your being lighted with freedom from it.
All of these musings have flooded my heart when thinking of our evening together at the water lantern festival...of our experience of true release and the freedom followed by it. Thought someone out there could use a reminder that they are not the only ones facing tough moments that need to be released. Or, maybe some just need encouragement to help nudge them in the right direction to release what they already knew was meant to be let go. Either way, I hope this message brings you a light joy and breath of fresh air.
Sending each of you loads of Love and Light,
~Cassie