Nine years ago, I was a leaf carried by a strong wind, touching down, then spinning forward to my next appointment … on, on, ever onward, swept by the storm of my ambition and stopped only by the thorns of my goals. In short, I was lost in the demands of my work, determined at all costs to succeed, paying little attention to my wellbeing and the inner light of my soul.

I travelled non-stop: Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkey; every day a new city, every morning a set of professionals peering attentively at me before I started my seminar or workshop.

I organised my week into smart goals and carried a weekly planner where I composed at least ten tasks every day which I crossed out with a red pen each evening with great satisfaction.

My stress level was building and building, yet I was barely aware of it. I was unstoppable, and that was all that mattered.

I was not aware of mindfulness, and the importance of rest and sleep. At night I had a couple of glasses of wine to decompress.

I didn’t know that I had to truly relax after a hard day and find ways to let go: to walk in a park, read a story, take artistic pictures, play with kids or dogs, laugh or go out dancing. I had no idea how important it is to balance my mind, not hold negative emotions, and how harmful it is to be stressed, burnt out, exhausted, and overwhelmed.

Nobody told me that we have to be gentle and caring to ourselves, and treat our body as if it is a precious vessel that could be easily broken or destroyed.

I did not understand some very important things: if I am healthy, in harmony with myself, grounded, balanced, have a strong body and positive mindset, I can share this wonderful energy with other people. By being a channel for this energy, I thrive as a person.

Travelling in Thailand, I discovered Taoist philosophy and its lifestyle became a game changer for me. One of the fundamentals is “letting go”. Tao practitioners believe one should navigate the river of life instead of trying to control it.

On my trips back to Bermuda amid my work schedule, this concept of “letting go” began to resonate deeply inside of me. I found myself thinking:

“Look at this rippling, turquoise ocean; water is the essence of life, an unstoppable force, and yet it only seeks ways to move and spread where there is no resistance.

I need to let go of my destructive habits and embrace new ones. I need to be in the present moment instead of obsessing about the unknown future. I need to relax into the flow and let go.”

Dear Readers, step into our warm, August ocean; feel the gentle caress of the waves, and repeat to yourself, “Let it go. Let it all wash away. Let it go.”

Let the water carry away all your worries and anxieties; our turquoise sea will accept all your troubles.

When you walk out onto the pure white sand, leave it all behind. Let it go.