Thich Nhat Hanh once said, “Letting go gives us freedom and freedom is the only condition for happiness.” Holding onto negative old patterns or beliefs will limit you from reaching your fullest potential. While you’re contemplating your new year goals, take time to pause, observe, and reflect on the past year. Then work methodically to release what no longer serves you. Clear out the things you no longer need, so you can create room for what truly matters.
Letting Go of the Past
In this article, I’ve curated some insights from Dr. Richard Broome and relevant journals on how to embrace the power of letting go. The key themes of this article include:
- The power of letting go. Letting go of the past can be your new superpower in 2025.
- Start meditating.
- Make laughter your medicine.
Simple practices to help you step into 2025 with intention
According to certified Transcendental Meditation Teacher (TM) Dr. Richard Broome, simple practices can help you step into wellness in 2025.
Letting go of what no longer serves you
1. Identify What’s Holding You Back
Dr. Broome says. “First take the time to identify what might be holding you back — whether they are old habits, thoughts, or even grudges.”
2. Write and Release
“Write down what you’ve identified, along with how letting go will positively impact your life. For instance, “I release self-doubt so I can fully embrace new opportunities.”
3. Set a Letting-Go Intention
“Choose one or two areas to focus on. Create an affirmation or intention, such as “I let go of perfectionism” or “I release the fear of failure.” Repeat this intention daily.”
Build a firm foundation of wellness
Dr. Broome also connects meditation and laughter to better wellness outcomes. These practices are easy to access, are affordable and long proven.
Meditate your way to a better 2025
Meditation has so many benefits. It helps with attention span, allowing you to stay focused longer. It also develops the mental discipline needed to avoid unhelpful habits.
There are many forms of meditation. For example Transcendental Meditation (TM) allows you to get back to the thing we’ve forgotten, to be happy. Dr. Broome explains. “TM is a very popular form of meditation and a powerful way to help you connect with your deepest self. Discover what no longer serves you in life and can help you let go.”
The internet is full of references on meditation. Longevity has also published a lot on this subject. Here are two of our top picks:
- What Is DMT Meditation? Breathing Techniques to Release Endogenous DMT
- 7 Research-Based Benefits Of Meditation
If you find it difficult to meditate on your own, then download an app. You can also join an in-person meditation group or go online and join a virtual session.
You may also consider taking up movement meditation.
Movement mediation
I love my movement meditation practices and encourage anyone who comes my way to try at least one of these out.
Yoga
Yoga is a popular form of movement meditation. It focuses on breathing, movement, and posture to help you relax and control stress.
Tai chi
This form of meditation combines slow, gentle movements and deep breathing.
Qi Gong
Qi Gong can be described as a mind-body-spirit practice that improves one’s mental and physical health by integrating posture, movement, breathing technique, self-massage, sound, and focused intent.
There are many Qi Gong styles, schools, traditions, forms, and lineages, each with practical applications and different theories about Qi (“subtle breath” or “vital energy”) and Gong (“skill cultivated through steady practice”).
Walking meditation
Walking is easy for all of us, so no excuses here! In this method, all you have to do is slow down your walk and focus on your steps and the movement of your legs and feet.
Laugh more to reduce stress
One of the easiest and nicest wellness ways to go with the flow in 2025.
According to the website Psyche, “research shows that laughter can benefit your physical wellbeing. The American psychologist William Fry, the father of gelotology – yes this is a word. Gelos is Greek for laughter – referred to laughter as ‘internal jogging’ for good reason.”
One study found that it had a similar effect on heart rate and heart-rate variability as exercise. Other physiological benefits of laughter include an enhanced immune system, muscle relaxation, and reduced blood pressure.
Another study of nearly 21,000 older adults found that those who laughed every day were less likely to have heart disease, compared with those who never or almost never laughed.”
And believe it or not, Psyche reports that, “In a study of individuals with Type 2 diabetes, those who watched a comedy film (rather than a boring lecture) showed decreased levels of prorenin in their blood, a protein involved in the onset of diabetic complications. And if you’re ever in physical pain, laughing might help: watching funny videos can increase your pain tolerance.”
Laughter is the best (and cheapest) medicine
Laughter is a cheap and freely available form of medicine. When you laugh, your brain releases mood-boosting chemicals, including endorphins, and fewer stress hormones – so laughing can reduce feelings of stress and symptoms of depression, and help you cope in challenging environments.
If that’s not enough, laughing more will improve your sleep quality, increase self-esteem and creative thinking.
References
Main photo by Andrea Piacquadio
Dr Richard Broome, Certified Transcendental Meditation Teacher. “Simple practices to help you step into 2025 feeling better.”
Psyche: https://psyche.co/guides/how-to-get-a-health-and-wellbeing-boost-from-laughing
Some of the studies quoted by Psyche. Read their full article for all their links.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31029483/
https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/jea/26/10/26_JE20150196/_pdf/-char/en
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S096522991830030X
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.1309
https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2008/904752/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ejp.1309
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