There’s inventory that we hold on to longer than we should (memories, possessions, people, jobs, mindsets, and so many other things that we connect our identities to, as if that’s all we’re made of). We’re defining our lives by something that showed up way after we existed, and yet now it controls us and our emotions on a daily basis. I believe it’s important to take a step back when this happens and begin to reevaluate ourselves and our inventory.

In sports, this is why coaches call a timeout — an attempt to make minor or major adjustments to increase the chances of success. What are we holding on to that’s preventing us from changing the entire momentum of the game? Simple changes (pivots) can radically alter the direction of our future. It all starts in the mind: win the war of the mind, and you’ll win the day. Sometimes, it’s really that simple.

Understanding what no longer brings value to your life, brings joy to something that’s usually painful — curating each area of your existence until it’s completely you, just the way you want it. For example: every few months, I create a donate bag of what I no longer want. Things that accumulated over time—and are now in the way of everything I love—have to go. Someone else will have them now, and they most likely need it way more than I do. What I’m left with is clarity and just the essentials: the things that matter most and align with the person I want to be.

What can we let go of today?