Good morning listeners. Coach Kate here with another minute motivation this beautiful Thursday morning. I host this space on weekdays and typically dive into a quote or a passage and explore different ideas as we start out our day with the hope we find balance, meaning, reflection, and perhaps a bit of joy as well.
Today I wanted to dive into the idea of letting go. So often we surround ourselves with worry and fear about what has already occurred in our lives, and learning how to let go can be a superpower we can cultivate and even tap into over time. The past no longer serves us, so figuring out ways to serve our present selves with peace, love, understanding, and even forgiveness over our past can be a way to love ourselves as well.
Today's quote is a highly manicured version of a letter Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote to his daughter in 1858 about letting go of the past. The sentiment of the original letter was broken down over the years by several editors of Emerson's work, and this quote, although diluted of the overall work, is what you get when you simmer years of Emerson's work and intent into something relatable not only for his daughter, but now for all of us too. Here it is:
Finish each day and be done with it. . . You have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely.
What Emerson teaches us here is that worry is part of that great big human experience, but so is the day ahead of us too. One thing we can control, and the other, we can let go of, if we choose. In this passage, I see Emerson wanting this hopeful and beautiful future he sees for his daughter. When we are older, and we look at our children, or even those younger than us, we know how much potential awaits them. It's kind of magical really. I feel like with this, Emerson recognizes that magic, and doesn't want his daughter to bring in the muddiness of the past into the possibilities of the future.
So today, dear listeners, is a brand new day. The possibilities of today lay before us all in immeasurable ways. So today, ask yourself, and if you are a journal-er, go ahead and journal this too:
What ways is the past impeding your progress?
What ways can you lean into the sheer possibility of today instead?
I'm coach Kate-- thank you all for listening. If you liked what you heard today, feel free to follow me as we explore these mornings together. I host this space weekday mornings with ideas, quotes, passages, and things I come across that I love to explore along with you all. If you'd like to listen to more of my past talks, you can access them under the talk tab of my profile. Also-- if you want a text based version of this or any of my other talks, feel free to subscribe to my newsletter linked in my bio and these can be delivered to you into your e-mail inbox daily.
Hope you all have a wonderful Thursday, and that you begin it well, and serenely.
