Letting Go

Rule #2: Make Space for What You Want

Letting Go Creates Room for Growth

By Coach Stephanie Carrodegua | Empowerment & Lifestyle Coach

Have you ever felt like your life is so full that there’s barely room for anything new?

Not just your schedule or your home, but your mind?

We often talk about adding healthier habits, more exercise, better nutrition, and meaningful relationships. But sometimes, before we can add something beneficial, we need to examine what’s already taking up space.

In my podcast series, The 7 Rules for a Life That Feels Like You, Rule #2 is Make Space for What You Want.

Think about how much energy goes into replaying old conversations, worrying about things outside your control, maintaining unnecessary commitments, or holding onto beliefs that no longer serve you.

That mental clutter can affect our well-being.

Research supports this connection. A systematic review by Querstret and Cropley (2013) found that mindfulness-based and cognitive behavioral interventions can help reduce repetitive worry and rumination.

Another systematic review and meta-analysis found that higher levels of worry and rumination were associated with poorer sleep quality (2019/2020).

Making space isn’t about avoiding responsibilities or pretending difficult emotions don’t exist. It’s about recognizing where your energy goes and making intentional choices about what deserves your attention.

Try this week’s space-making exercise:

Identify one thought, habit, or commitment that drains your energy.

Ask yourself whether it supports the life you’re creating.

Choose one small action to reduce its hold on your time or attention.

Replace that space with something meaningful—movement, rest, connection, or personal growth.

You don’t have to change everything today.

Sometimes growth begins not with doing more, but with making room for what matters.

Remember: You have the power to create your life—and you don’t have to create it alone.

Little by little, a little goes a long way.

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References

Querstret, D., & Cropley, M. (2013). Assessing treatments used to reduce rumination and/or worry: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(8), 996–1009. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2013.08.004

The association between worry and rumination with sleep in non-clinical populations: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (2020). PubMed (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31910749/).