The last couple of weeks, I've felt better. Like, actually better.

Not just the “I-got-eight-hours-of-sleep” kind of better, but the “I’m-not-driving-an-imaginary-lorry-through-a-hurricane-anymore” kind of better. Because that was me the other week - tense, braced for impact, trying to steer through a storm I couldn’t control.

But something shifted after that chat with Jessie - you remember, the one I told you about the other week.

That call? It made me feel lighter. Because I realised that me gripping the wheel so tightly was just an illusion of control. It wasn’t helping. If anything, it was exhausting... like, blindingly stressful.

So I’ve started loosening my grip. Not giving up - but letting go. Trusting things to unfold at their own pace. Kind of. (Hey, progress is progress.)

Thoughts: The Invisible Clutter

What really helped was one simple shift: when a thought pops into my head - which, let’s be honest, happens every other second - I’ve stopped clinging to it. No spiralling, no dissecting it from every angle. Instead, I imagine it as a little spark of energy passing through my mind and gently drifting away.

A couple of years ago, I went on this retreat. I’m actually going back again this September because, clearly, I’ve forgotten everything I learned and slipped right back into my old habit of overthinking. One of the hosts, Wyn, said: “Thoughts are just energy.”

Not facts. Not warnings. Not instructions. Just... energy.

That's massive. Because when you stop giving every random thought meaning, your mind starts to clear. There’s space again. 

The more thoughts you cling to, the heavier your mind feels - but that weight isn’t real. It’s just mental clutter. Think about it: two people can have the exact same experience and walk away with completely different thoughts and feelings. Why? Because thoughts are just that - thoughts. You don’t have to attach meaning to every single one. Let them pass. Let yourself breathe. Life gets a lot calmer - and easier - when you do.

The Freedom of Not Overthinking

If you’re anything like me, overthinking feels productive. Like you're being thorough. Prepared. In control.

But in reality? It’s just noise. 

While my mind’s been busy spinning stories, I’ve been missing the only moment that’s real - the one I’m in.

Which is why I’ve started practicing a new kind of presence: noticing the thought, acknowledging it, then letting it go.

Not because it’s easy. But because I want my mind to be a place I can actually live in - not just escape from.

Am I Describing Meditation?

Well… in a way, I guess it's similar.

Letting go of thoughts does bring you into the present. And that’s really what meditation is all about isn't it - being here, now.

The more you practice, the easier it becomes to stay grounded in that space.

Which, if I’m being honest, is where I struggle. I’m rarely present. My head’s usually two steps ahead or three steps behind - thinking, planning, overthinking. Anywhere but here.

But there’s something surprisingly powerful about letting thoughts pass without grabbing onto them. That tiny pause, that breath, that space - it changes everything. And it made me realise how often I’m not really in the moment at all.

Maybe that’s why I forget things. Not because I don't remember, but because I’m not fully there in the first place.

You know the saying, “Get out of your own head”? Yeah. Turns out, there’s truth in that.

When you stop holding onto every thought like it’s urgent or important, something shifts. Your mind clears. Space opens up. And for the first time in a long while, you actually breathe.

Letting Life Take the Lead

Of course, it’s a process. I still find myself getting pulled back into overthinking. But when I do, I try to remember: these are just thoughts. They don’t define me. They don’t hold truth. I picture them drifting past - again and again - until they lose their weight.

Because honestly? I don’t want all that noise in my head anymore.

I think letting go creates space - not just in your mind, but in your life. Space for new experiences. New people. New directions. When you stop gripping so tightly, life has room to surprise you.

And that’s where I’ve been stuck: trying to hold on. To people. To places. To roles that aren’t mine to carry anymore. Trying to make everyone else happy, even if it costs me my peace.

But I’m starting to see it now: letting go isn’t the same as giving up. It’s trusting that life knows where it’s going - even if I don’t.

Sunday Office Zen (Yes, Really)

Case in point? Last Sunday.

Saturday night, I was panicking.

How am I going to get everything done before Monday?!

But then Sunday came. I showed up. I focused. I prioritised.

And… I got it all done.

Not in a chaotic rush. Not in a stressed-out panic.

But calmly. Clearly. Without the usual inner frenzy that turns every task into a mountain.

Weirdly? It felt easy.

Peaceful, even - like my mind and body were finally on the same team.

That’s the power of clearing mental clutter.

You don’t just feel better - you do better.

Because you’re no longer wasting half your energy fighting battles that only exist in your head.

The Real Takeaway?

Letting thoughts pass through makes you feel lighter. I’ve felt lighter.

Not because everything is suddenly perfect. But because I’ve stopped gripping so tightly. I’ve stopped treating every thought like a warning. I’ve stopped trying to steer the storm.

And I’m learning to trust that where I’m going is okay - even if I don’t have a map.

So if your brain’s doing laps and your chest feels heavy and you’re gripping the imaginary wheel too hard?

Try letting go.

Just a little. Just one breath.

And see what opens up. 💗

I should probably drop a link here to Jessie and Wyn’s retreat in London this September…

I mean, I can’t keep this all to myself - it’s too good not to share.

And just to be clear: no, I don’t get anything for this. No affiliate links. No commissions. Nothing like that.

I’m sharing it simply because it genuinely helped me, and I hope it might help you too. 

Can’t make the retreat? No worries - just give them a follow on social media. Their content is a breath of fresh air compared to a lot of what’s out there.

Right, let me go find that link...

Here it is. And if you do come along, I will see you there. 🩷