Letting Go and the Power of Stillness
Moments of Happiness in December
As the year draws to a close, I often notice a certain quality in the air. The days grow quieter, nature turns inward — and within me arises the desire to slow down. Letting go, at this time, isn’t about giving something up. It’s about creating space. Because after we let go, there is a moment we often overlook: the stillness in between.
The Small Pause After the Exhale
After every breath, there’s a quiet pause — barely noticeable, yet deeply calming. That pause symbolizes what letting go can bring within us: when we release tension, thoughts, or expectations, emptiness appears. No doing, no striving — simply being.
And in that stillness, regeneration begins. Research shows that conscious breathing and mindfulness activate the parasympathetic nervous system — the part responsible for rest, healing, and restoration (PubMed). Letting go, then, is not a weakness but a biological reset — a way for the body to return to balance.
“In the stillness of the pause lies the source of renewal.”
Stillness as a Space for Clarity
In a world that never stops moving, silence can feel unfamiliar — almost empty. Yet that emptiness is not a void; it’s where clarity can grow. Neuroscience has shown that in moments of stillness, the brain activates networks linked to self-reflection and creativity — known as the Default Mode Network (Frontiers in Human Neuroscience). In other words: when we become quiet, the mind begins to organize what we carry within.
A Simple Practice: The Pause Between Breaths
Sit upright, inhale deeply — and exhale slowly.
Notice the pause before the next breath begins.
Stay there for a moment, without forcing it.
That space isn’t nothing. It’s where you reconnect with yourself and go inward.
With time, this practice makes silence familiar. It no longer feels empty but becomes a place you can always return to.
Letting Go as an Invitation to Begin Again
Now, in these quiet days of the year, we can practice trusting the stillness. For in every release lies a new beginning — just as each exhale is followed by an inhale. Perhaps resilience is precisely that: allowing life’s rhythm to move through us — tension and release, activity and rest, letting go and beginning anew.
If you’d like to deepen this connection between breath, mindfulness, and inner stability: my course Root to Rise guides you step by step into finding strength within stillness.
