I confess. Sometimes it is hard for me to let go of things. Whether it’s a painting, lamp, book, a piece of paper my granddaughter scribbled on for ten minutes 10 years ago or a friendship that is no longer serving the needs of either person. Somehow, it feels like giving up, like quitting. It feels as though the release itself is a cost I cannot bear to pay.
I’ve learned over time one of the reasons it is hard to let go is the mistaken belief that if we let go of the “thing”, we are letting go of the person, the memory, even the belief behind the “thing”. In my case, I didn’t want anything to be out of sight for fear it would not just be out of mind, I also risked it being out of heart.
Jim Rohn tells a story of speaking with some young people and showing them a pitcher of water that was not full and asking if it could hold more water. Of course they said yes. And so he filled it to the brim and asked again: Can more water go into the pitcher? One student understood and answered correctly – Yes! How could more water go in? Simple: by pouring some of the water out and into a glass. What an incredible lesson. Sometimes we have to pour some out to make room for more.
What is ahead in terms of change isn’t something we can predict. We can plan, prepare, and act. But at many points along the way, the winds are going to shift and adjustments will be required. Sometimes we are going to have to pour something out to make room for new. What a fantastic perspective. It’s rather like the commercial for Special K cereal – what will you gain when you lose?
Let’s pour out of the pitcher that is our life and make room for more.
Live (Pour out) today like you want tomorrow to be. Live (Pour out) well.