Hello there,
As we move deeper into December’s journey of conscious closure, I’ve been reflecting on what might be the most vulnerable part of this work – the actual practice of letting go. This week, we’re exploring the sacred art of release – learning to work with resistance through breath, understanding natural completion, using summer’s energy for generous letting go, and discovering why conscious completion is one of the most valuable gifts we can give ourselves.
I think of Maria, who gripped her coffee cup as she described her struggle. “I know I need to let go of this relationship, this job, these old beliefs about myself,” she said. “But every time I try, I feel this tightness in my chest and I can’t breathe properly. It feels like if I let go, I’ll lose myself completely.”
What Maria was experiencing is the body’s natural resistance to release – not because letting go is wrong, but because her nervous system needed to feel safe in the process of completion. Her breath was literally stopping her from releasing before she was ready.
Breathing Through Resistance
Resistance to closure often lives in our breath. When we think about letting go of familiar patterns, relationships, or roles that have defined us, our breathing might become shallow, our chest might tighten, or we might hold our breath altogether without realizing it.
This resistance isn’t something to overcome through force – it’s information about what feels vulnerable in the process of completion. Your breath can teach you how to move through closure with gentleness rather than force.
Through our work together, Maria learned to notice when her breath changed as she contemplated different aspects of release. The relationship? Shallow breathing. The job? Breath holding. Old beliefs about herself? Deep sighs trying to escape.
Instead of trying to force herself to “just let go,” Maria learned to breathe with whatever she was feeling. She’d think about the relationship ending and notice her breath becoming shallow, then simply breathe with that shallow pattern while staying present with the feelings. Gradually, naturally, her breath would deepen and the resistance would soften – not because she forced it, but because she honoured it.
The Natural Art of Release
True release is more like the way trees let their leaves fall in autumn – with natural timing, gentle letting go, and trust in the cycle of renewal. Not through force or self-criticism, but through appreciation and readiness.
What wants to be released from this year? Perhaps it’s the version of yourself who carried more stress than necessary, or relationships that drained your energy, or projects that no longer align with who you’re becoming. Maybe it’s old beliefs about what you’re capable of, or fears that kept you smaller than your true size.
I worked with James, who had been trying to “get over” his disappointment about a career opportunity that didn’t work out. He kept telling himself he should move on, but the disappointment lingered. He felt stuck and frustrated with himself.
When James learned about appreciative release, everything changed. Instead of trying to push the disappointment away, he thanked it. He acknowledged what that opportunity had represented to him – his desire for growth, his willingness to take risks, his vision for his professional future. Then he thanked the disappointment for teaching him to clarify what he actually wanted versus what looked good externally.
This appreciation created space for natural release. The disappointment didn’t disappear immediately, but it transformed from something heavy he was carrying into wisdom he possessed. The letting go happened organically once the experience had been honoured.
Summer’s Generous Release Energy
December’s summer energy here on the Sunshine Coast offers unique support for the practice of release. While much of the world enters winter’s more conservative, holding energy, we’re blessed with summer’s abundant, generous energy that naturally supports both completion and new creation.
Summer doesn’t apologize for its fullness or hold back its warmth. It shows up completely, offers its gifts generously, and trusts in the natural cycles that will bring seasons of rest when they’re needed. This energy invites you to approach your release work with similar generosity.
You can fully appreciate what this year has given you while enthusiastically releasing what’s complete, trusting that letting go creates space for new growth. Summer’s energy supports both honouring what has been and welcoming what’s coming without forcing you to choose between them.
The extended daylight hours create natural time for both appreciation and release work. You can reflect on what you’re grateful for in the golden morning light and practice conscious letting go in the long, gentle evenings.
The Gift of Completion
Completion is one of the most undervalued gifts we can give ourselves. Our culture emphasizes starting new things – new goals, new relationships, new projects – but rarely teaches us the profound satisfaction and wisdom that comes from consciously completing what we’ve begun.
When you complete something with awareness, you’re not just finishing a task or ending an experience. You’re harvesting all the growth, insight, and strength that the experience offered. You’re integrating lessons into your being. You’re acknowledging your capacity to see things through, even when they became difficult or different than expected.
Through our work together, Maria discovered that her resistance to letting go of her relationship wasn’t actually about the relationship itself – it was about completing it consciously rather than abandoning it. When she took time to appreciate what the relationship had taught her about love, boundaries, and her own needs, she could release it with gratitude rather than bitterness.
The job she’d been clinging to out of fear? When she acknowledged how it had developed her professional skills and clarified her career values, she could leave with confidence rather than regret. The old beliefs about herself? When she recognized how they’d protected her when she needed protection, she could release them knowing she no longer needed that particular kind of safety.
Completion isn’t about perfection – it’s about consciousness. You can complete a relationship by honouring what it taught you about love. Complete a goal by appreciating the person you became while pursuing it. Complete a difficult year by recognizing the resilience you developed through navigating its challenges.
Weekly Challenge: Sacred Release Practices
This week, I invite you to explore these five release practices:
1. Resistance Breathing: Think of something ready for release but that feels scary to let go. Notice your breath pattern. Practice breathing with the resistance rather than trying to breathe it away. Let your breath companion the emotions for 5 minutes.
2. Appreciative Release List: Write down three things you’re grateful for AND ready to release. For each one, complete: “Thank you for… I release you because…” Hold both appreciation and letting go simultaneously.
3. Summer Energy Ritual: Spend time in natural summer sunlight and ask: “How can I embody summer’s generous release energy?” Notice what insights or feelings arise.
4. Body Release Scan: Lie down and scan your body for areas holding tension related to incomplete experiences. Breathe into each area while acknowledging what it’s been holding for you.
5. Completion Ceremony: Choose one thing to consciously complete this week. Create a simple ritual – write a completion letter, have a closing conversation, create a symbolic release gesture. Make it authentic to you.
Join the Journey
I’m so honoured to walk this path with you! Throughout this week, I’ll be sharing daily release practices on social media to support your sacred letting go journey. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or LinkedIn for regular inspiration and practical exercises.
I’d love to hear about your experiences with conscious release. What resistance are you working with through breath? How does appreciative release feel different from forcing yourself to “get over” things? What’s ready for completion in your life? Comment on any of my social posts or reach out directly to share your journey.
Notice with gentle compassion:
• How does your body respond to the idea of letting go with appreciation versus force?
• What happens when you breathe with resistance rather than fighting it?
• Where do you feel the difference between abandonment and conscious completion?
• What summer energy teaches you about generous, trusting release?
Summer’s Completion Teaching
As summer’s abundant energy begins to peak here on the Sunshine Coast, remember that nature demonstrates perfect release continuously. Trees don’t cling to fruit once it’s ripe – they release it generously, trusting in the cycle of seasons. Flowers don’t hold their petals beyond their time – they let go with grace, knowing new blooms will come.
Your release can embody this same natural wisdom. Trust the timing of what’s ready to complete. Release with appreciation rather than force. Know that letting go creates fertile space for new growth, just as fallen leaves enrich the soil for future seasons.
With warmth and trust in your natural wisdom about what’s ready for release,
Gemma-Lee
About the Author:
Gemma-Lee Harvey is a Holistic Counsellor and Lifestyle Coach based on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. With a diverse background spanning psychology, business, counselling, and coaching, she creates a nurturing space for exploring one’s full potential. Her gentle yet practical approach kindles the transformative spirit within, guiding individuals through life’s challenges as they rise through empowerment.
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