“What’s up with the great advice from potty mouth cards, Jill?”
They were a gift from one of my all time favorite people, Chelsea (hi Chels!) and when I received them I told her they are perfect for constructing dharma talks — which I generally deliver as blog posts — and my goal was to do a talk for each card.
This is just another way of saying “Let that shit go,” which has become trite, so let’s start using this instead, ok? Great!
Now, what the hell does this mean?
Release the ghosts of the fucking past…
Did you read that in an ethereal and otherworldly voice? If not, go back and try again. I’ll wait.
Even the most unburdened of us, the happiest and most content, has something that haunts them. It doesn’t have to be some huge thing, some barely surmountable trauma, but something…maybe an offhanded comment that hurt someone, either received or offered…?
That’s right, the ghost doesn’t need to be someone else. I know it’s more satisfying to imagine it as your icky ex that you can perform an exorcism on, but many times what we’re carrying are burdens from previous versions of ourselves.
Previous as in early adulthood, before we learned empathy.
Previous as in before we discovered joy in healthy pleasures.
Previous as in just last Thursday when our hormones were in flux and there wasn’t enough coffee for a second cup.
Let go of the shit that suffocates your soul.
It already happened. Chances are, you’re a decent person so you’ve already apologized or made amends for your uncaffeinated behavior, so why remain a captive soul to that shame?
Here is your permission to be free from anything that still haunts you.
Cast that shame off, cast it off DRAMATICALLY.
It can’t stand on its own, it has no form, it has no strength once you release it. You were the only thing supporting it. So set it free.
Today is a new day, clear your energy and start fresh.
Unless you are actively causing someone pain — including yourself — leave it in the past. If it already caused pain, why would you want to bring it forth into today’s world? This is a new world, every single day is a new world to make into what you desire. So every day, start fresh!
If you are actively causing someone pain — including yourself — why?
You need to take a moment and figure that shit out, then shut it down.
If what you are holding onto is pain inflicted upon you by someone else, letting it go is similar. Both require identifying what caused the pain, acknowledging that pain was caused, and then forgiving.
I’ve written about forgiveness many times over the years, it’s important to remember that forgiveness is for you, not for them. They never need to ask for forgiveness. They never need to know you forgave them. They are not part of the equation. You forgive because it frees up space in your soul. The pain and shame dissolve and leave room for joy and love. You can leave it all behind because it is your peace we are talking about. Their demons are their problem, and they no longer have an invitation to your party.
Releasing the enduring trauma of prolonged abuse isn’t as easy as shrugging off a robe (as Miss Piggy demonstrated above), please do not take my words as dismissive. It took me years to fully release what needed to go, it happened in baby steps…and that’s all this a blueprint for, those baby steps.
Let the pain go in stages.
But start today to let it go.
If you loved what you read, consider supporting me and Buy Me a Coffee!
