Release is a relief.

In the first stage of a release, we confront denial. We come face to face with our ego and its protective armor that wants to believe everything is okay as is. Ego is resistant to change. He ignores what may weigh too heavily or bind too tightly because it means making changes to the status quo. Our ego would rather grasp onto the past for validation or reach to future expectations rather than focus on present change. But once we do focus our attention on the present, we can no longer be in a state of denial. We accept that when we give away more than we receive or become more drained than fulfilled, the only way out, only path lighter and freer is to accept change

We next dive heart first into the emotion of pain.

A piercing heartache. A grieving loss. This stage is the aching realization that what may have once brought joy, energy and vitality has now drained our happiness pool, siphoned our engine’s fuel and infested our spirits beauty. Self preservation juices kick in. Truth tears fall to heal wounds. Fiery anger rages to fight jabs at the heart. Eventually the pain shuts us down. If we‘re lucky, it will only be a few minutes or hours. Sometimes days or weeks are needed to tend to neglected or self inflicted wounds. In either case this is the time when our courageous truth emerges and ego has no choice but to sit patiently and listen.

How does this stage manifest itself along your journey?

Because “letting out” is just a rest stop on the road to “letting go.”