Just because you let it go, doesn’t mean you never loved it.

I was recently going through my closet Marie Kondo style – I removed each article of clothing and laid it on my bed. I then began the pain staking process of picking up each item individually, assessing if it brought me joy. If so, I put it in the “keep pile.” Sounds simple enough, but this is a tough one for me.

I am a very sentimental person, even with clothing. I have shirts in my closet that I loved in college, the outfit I wore on my first date with my husband, the dress I wore to my rehearsal dinner, the dress I wore to the BASIC launch party, the scarf my aunt made me. Each of these items (and many more) has sentimental value to me – they represent a time and place that was special to me, they embody a moment that was significant and so I’ve attached that significance to them too. The answer to the question I am to ask of each item “does it bring me joy?” is YES! But, have I worn it since that day, and will I ever wear it again – probably not. I realized that I don’t WANT a lot of these things, but I LOVE them. It was in this moment that I had this epiphany: just because I let this go, doesn’t mean I never loved it.

I started thinking about how many other things in my life I’m holding on to because they were once special to me. I don’t want to show any disrespect to the item, or to the memory, by giving it up. We can find ourselves doing this with people too – relationships that no longer fit, but we’re so attached to how things were that we refuse to let go.

Then I remembered what Marie Kondo says to do when you decide to let something go. You hold it in your hands, you give it love and thank it for what it’s done for you, and with care you fold it and gently place it in the box. We are meant to grow, to evolve, to change – that’s simply the way nature works. Nothing lasts forever. Letting go with gratitude, love, and kindness makes the process feel whole and complete. It allows you to appreciate what was, and lean into what is to come.

In the end my drawers were less cluttered, my closet reflected the current version of me, and I felt much lighter too.

May you take time this week to assess what you may be holding on to that is no longer serving you, and find the courage to let go with love.