Things from the past it's time to let go of

Letting go is an art. There's nothing wrong with letting go of things that no longer serve you, no longer fit into the life you're living now, and no longer have a purpose or need. This includes people, things, and even memories.

Letting go of "stuff"

When it comes to letting go of belongings, my biggest asset has always been the TV shows on hoarding. If you can watch one of those episodes and not want to gut your house, you and I are not the same.

Too much stuff becomes clutter. Sure, you may feel some sort of connection to items that were gifted to you, purchases on vacations, etc. Those items, however, aren't needed for you to hold onto those memories. If your collections are not bringing you joy, not out where they can be enjoyed, and aren't bringing a smile to your face when you see them, it's time to move on. You can donate them, pass them along to someone else, or sell them -- that's up to you.

First, it's important to understand that letting go of items that you're sentimentally attached to can be a challenging process. You've given these objects life, in a sense. But, as I already pointed out, if you're holding onto them without a purpose, they're just clutter. There are a few steps you can take to help make this process of purging a little easier.

First, acknowledge your feelings about the items. There are emotions you've attached to each of these things. I think taking a queue from Marie Kondo would be great at this point as well -- does this item bring you joy? We save stuff that gives us happy thoughts, but we also sometimes hold onto the things that bring us negative ones as well. If this item sparks joy, put it in the keep pile for now and find a use for it (even if it's only on display on a bookshelf).

If you go into letting go with clear goals, it can help you. It can be as small as letting go of one box of clutter, or as big as organizing one entire room in your house. The smaller steps will be easier in the beginning. Save the larger projects for when you're getting accustomed to letting go.

If you have smaller items you aren't ready to let go of yet, get a shoebox to store them in. Make it a point to reminisce with this box of joy at least once a month. If anything no longer brings joy, let it go. This is a great place to store photos you take of stuff you let go of but want to remember as well.

Letting go of people

Here's a big one! People come and go. Most folks don't stay friends from elementary school through death, though some do. Even family members drift apart, and that's alright. Not every soul you come into contact with is supposed to be a permanent fixture in your life.

Soul Contracts is a term that comes up in our home a lot -- people who have a purpose in our lives, and when their contract is up, we go our separate ways.

Just because you're related to someone or have been friends with them for years doesn't mean they have to remain in your life forever. If you no longer speak, no longer have things in common, no longer stay in touch as it is, move on. This is especially important to do with toxic people in your life.

Toxic people increase your stress, depression, and anxiety. I don't care if it's your mom who is toxic toward you -- cut her out of your life. You'll be better for it in the long run.

Now, I am not suggesting you immediately nix someone the second they show toxic behaviors toward you. First, set boundaries that will eliminate their toxic behavior. If they continue being manipulative, negative, and sucking all your energy, and choose to ignore your boundaries, then it's time to move on.

You can try taking a break from them and see if things have changed when you come back. If they haven't, just cut the cord. It's up to you whether you let them know why you're removing yourself from their life. For some toxic relationships, it's safer to just ghost the person, for your own mental and physical well-being.

Be sure to let mutual friends know you're no longer interested in hearing about this person. Cut ties with them on all social media. It's best to just remove all contact sources so you can move on with your life and healthier friendships.

If you find yourself dwelling on this person, find other friends to build a bond with. Spend some time doing some self-love work. Keep a journal that will let you get your feelings worked out without reaching back out to that toxic person.