What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? Do you rush downstairs to make coffee, scramble to pack lunch boxes before the kids wake up, or drag your exhausted body into a hot, steamy shower? Many of us do one or even all of the above before we physically let go.

Yes, we’re talking about heading to the bathroom. Your cup needs to be empty in order to take anything else in. You have to let go before you can receive.

Think about all that your body processes in one day. It digests emotions, thoughts, worries, foods, news stories, schedules and much more. At the end of the day, many of us have trouble getting to sleep. The day’s experiences play over and over in our minds, leaving us staring at the ceiling—or worse, a cell phone. When we finally do fall asleep, we awake a few hours later having digested all that came before. How can we possibly take anything else in?

So tonight, right before you head to bed, take a few moments to stand in silent meditation and breathe. Allow your body to process everything it saw, heard, felt and experienced in the last 24 hours. As thoughts and memories pop into your mind, gently release them and let them go. After a few weeks of practicing, the process of letting go will come naturally. After you awake in the morning, become aware of how you are feeling. Are you relaxed? Did you have a restful sleep? Then head over to—well, you know—release everything you’re still holding on to. Once you have truly let go, you will be ready to receive all that the day has in store.

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