Have you ever allowed others’ thoughts, feelings, or perceptions to influence your life? You’re not alone. This is a common human trait. In some cases, this trait serves us well, inviting curiosity, fun, and other healthy, positive emotions. In other cases, we let a moment, a confrontation, a conversation, or even others’ negative circumstances intrude into our reality and state of being. What do you do when this happens to you? Do you dwell and get sucked into the negative vortex, or are you able to let it go?

As you head forward into this school year, we encourage you to protect your boundaries, your energy, and yourself. Imagine taking off your heavy backpack before leaving a negative experience or walking through your own front door. It’s a constant practice in life to leave it at the door and let it go, so you don’t have to carry it with you.

What would it feel like to channel your inner Elsa and “Let it go”? Sometimes, it’s easier said than done. Empathy, a character trait that we can embody and develop from a young age, is a powerful tool. It’s like the concept of walking a mile in someone else’s shoes to understand how it feels from their perspective. This trait can have a profound impact on ourselves, our emotions, and how we think about others.

It’s easy to get caught up in making someone else’s challenges or situations our own. Recognizing how we’re affected by others and their circumstances is a great first step to letting it go. Ultimately, how we feel at the end of the day is based on our own experiences, mistakes, and accomplishments, not others. Empathy is not about taking on others’ burdens, but about understanding and supporting them while maintaining our own well-being.

Align with what truly matters to you, what you want to focus your energy on, and your locus of control. Protecting your own mindset and well-being is crucial in deflecting the energy, negativity, or problems of others. Becoming tuned into your own thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is a daily practice.

What you think and how it makes you feel is absolutely within your control. If you treat every problem as an emergency, your stress levels constantly spike. By staying grounded and being self-aware, you can respond thoughtfully instead of reacting with haste.

Leaving it at the door is about reclaiming your mental space and drawing a boundary between external demands and your own internal well-being. By choosing to be present rather than worrying about your own overburdened backpack or someone else’s, you’ll lighten your load and have the space to stay true to yourself. This practice can lead to a more peaceful and focused mind, better relationships, and improved emotional resilience.

Sitting in the stew of your own concerns or someone else’s means that your energy is left in the past, focusing on what has already happened rather than on your future and the potential of what could be. Remember, you can care deeply about others without bringing their stress forward with you. We invite you to enter the school year empowered with a practice of letting go.