Yesterday, Donna Ryan, one of our bloggers, told us how she packed pain from her past and didn’t look back. Interestingly enough, she shared her story the same day New Yorker’s gathered in Times Square for Good Riddance Day. Participants received markers and a white sheet of paper, answered the question “I want to say good riddance to” and then tossed their answer into a giant shredder. Into the shredder went bills, names of ex-boyfriends and bad attitudes. A sledge hammer sealed the fate of larger items.
What a great idea!
So, our challenge to you today is let go of what no longer works for you. It sounds easy, but sometimes holding on, even to something or someone which no longer honors or serves you, can be addictive. It can become the story we tell about ourselves. The challenge in letting go is letting yourself be someone new.
It’s a challenge, but you can do it.
So, today it’s our own Good Riddance Day. What would you like to say good riddance to? We don’t have a shredder or sledge hammer, but you can leave behind your pain, disappointments, bad memories, traumatic experiences and unhelpful emotions in our comment section. It’s a great way to start our New Year.
So, simply complete this sentence: I want to say good riddance to:
It wasnt coincidence…I saw the story also…I actually wrote that as my first line on my post regarding good riddance day. I wish I was smart enough to think of it on my own….
Im planning on laughter…even when days are hard…every day of 2010….good riddance to sadness and look at this journey as another chapter for mom and I. The days fade away but its the memories we bring with us that will help me later on…
Hey Donna, what an excellent, wise post and perspective! Your mon has a great adult daughter, and you have a wonderful sounding person in yourself. Based on your positive attitude that comes through in how you perceive things in your reality, I can tell that 2010 is going to hold bright, stronger, and lucky things for you in the longrun. Gary
I want to say good riddance to over-worrying!
I’m replacing over-worrying with believe, actually knowing, that all will work out.
Denise, what a great idea! (I sometimes feel like I wish we could have a daily Good Riddance Afternoon Coffee Break..!)
Symbolically, I’m glad in a way that it is not only the end of a trying year in 2009, but also a very hard decade during which I lost a parent for the first time. I went through some other hard struggles, too; but at the same time, I accomplished and grew so much with many new experiences. In 2009, I’m saying “Good riddance!” to not having enough faith in my right to my own opinions, space, and actions. I’m moving forward into 2010 with more confidence in the power of my own decisions, perspectives, and way of living my life, and how important they are for me to be all the healthy “Me” that I am and need to be.
I’ll try, anyway.
Happy NY, everybody! -Gary
Good Riddance Day sounds a little bit like making New Year’s resolutions of which I am not a big fan, because they are so easily broken. I, however, would like to rid myself of the negative emotions which so easily crop up; and I would like to think each morning of the love which has been shown to me by my God and by others. I would also like to think each night about the blessings of the day. Even on the worst of days there are blessings.