You’re more likely to think of a popular animated film when you hear the phrase or mantra “Let it go”. My mind goes to the time I was two-stories in the air, with my body pressed to a slanted wall and my tired fingers grasping to small “rocks”, and hearing my 13 year old nephew ultimately ask me to put my trust in him and let go. In that moment, the poet Erin Hanson’s words raced to mind:

There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask, “What if I fall?”
Oh but my darling,
What if you fly?

So I let go. And I flew.

2015 offers us an opportunity to set new goals, make new choices, set a new intention, recommit to our individual practices, and start over. It also gives us a chance to let go of the old and release what or who is holding us back. Remember, while it takes a tremendous amount of strength to hold on to something, it sometimes requires even more strength to let go.

Whether you’re letting go of an intention in the pursuit of a new one, letting go of bad habits in pursuit of a healthier way of thinking of living, or letting go of an experience, a relationship, or anything else keeping you from moving on.

Here are 5 steps to start your 2015 off right:

1. Channel any discontent into an immediate positive action. Make some calls about that new job you’ve been eyeing. Volunteer your time and talents at a community center. Get involved. Help. Be proactive.
2. Identify what the experience taught you to help develop a sense of closure.
3. Focus your energy on what you can control instead of what you can’t.
4. Metaphorically release it. Write down all of your stresses, worries, and concerns, and toss the paper into a well-light fireplace.
5. Hang this statement where you can see it: “Loving myself means letting go”.

Allow yourself the exhilarating sensation of letting go of what you’ve clung to. Allow yourself to fly in 2015. Namaste.

Dory Knight is a passionate blogger who encourages her readers to #ChooseHappiness through a health lifestyle. 

She writes about and lives a lifestyle full of clean eating, meditation, MMA, yoga, and loves being a gym rat.  She invites you on her own personal journey through fitness, yoga, mindfulness, and meditation shared on Instagram and her blogs.