Let’s play with a paradox — “Get a grip" / "Let it Go".

​"Get a Grip"—Step back into reality, reel Your Self in, calm down.

​"Let it Go"—Drop your expectations, stop pushing your agenda, move on.

We've all heard these two phrases as separate admonishments, yet what if we put them together as part of our practice?

I realized recently that I’d been doing that for years. When I find My Self in the middle of a hissy fit and things just aren’t going my way ( how dare they?) I literally stop what I’m doing, say to My Self: “Stephanie, Get a grip! Let it go”. This is one of my favorite mantras that I consistently call on in a tangled moment.

Putting the two phrases together underscores a crucial piece of practice -- relinquishing “control” and allowing the Present to unfold in its own time  Both phrases accomplish this. It’s a two step win /win:

“Get a Grip!” is that Zen slap that brings us back to the Present, quiets the chatter-mind and calms the system. 

“Let it Go!” releases expectations, makes room for possibilities, and allows us to see what the Present has to offer.

For example, when I feel like I'm "losing control"—(as if I ever really had it)—running late, not being heard, getting swept away in the undercurrent of "If only they'd do it my way", I remind myself to "Get a Grip". It immediately shifts the energy and brings me back to the Present.

Then I can "Let it Go". Being late might work to my advantage, perhaps what I'm saying isn't accurate and can't be heard, and there might be a better way than "my way" to address the situation. "Let it Go" shifts the energy again and keeps me in the Present so that I'm available for the given moment.

“Get a Grip!” returns me to the Present. “Let it Go” keeps me there.

In either part of this practice, remember to:

Stop.

Breathe.

Check in with your Bodymind.

Do You need to "Get a Grip"?

Do you need to "Let it Go"?

Choose accordingly and then mindfully act on it.

“Grip and Go" for short. It's an effective prompt in times of upset and upheaval, whether perceived or real, that reminds me to release whatever it is that’s hampering me, so that I may receive the new possibilities of any given moment.

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