Fall is not only gorgeous, it marks a transition to new opportunities and possibilities.

True, it is a time of endings and death of sorts, but that paves the way for new. The leaves in the fall know when to let go, rest and begin anew again. We could learn from that.

Many people suffer from constipation. In most cases, those that suffer from this have a strong tendency to hold on to things that are no longer working for them out of a sense of fear.

The colon is an unapologetic, fearless organ. It takes what it wants and refuses what it doesn’t want without compromise or regret. It knows what it wants and won’t settle for something it doesn’t.

Chronic constipation can be a sign that we are tolerating and accepting things we don’t want or are no longer serving us. Because of the mind-body connection, our colon starts to emulate ourselves and our actions. It starts taking more than it actually wants and holding on to things for longer than it needs to.

Can you think of how that may be true of you in your life? What are you tolerating or holding on to out of fear?

Autumn and our colon can teach us something about letting go. Are you holding on to friendships that you cannot honestly say are still nourishing you? When we talk to a friend, it should generally feel energizing, positive and restorative. If it hasn’t for some time now, then it may be time to re-evaluate certain friendships.

Either we make an effort to fix what is broken, give it a rest or let go. Many people are afraid to let go of their current friendships, even when they are in a chronically unhappy state because they are afraid that they will be alone if they do that: If I stopped tolerating the friendships I have, I wouldn’t have any at all!

But having done this myself, I can say without hesitation that having full integrity and honesty with ourselves on this topic is incredibly rewarding. Friendships are an investment and we should spend ourself wisely.

At one point I decided  I would prefer to be alone, enjoying my own company over a room full of friends where, ironically, I felt deeply alone. It was the best possible choice for me, and surprisingly painless and impersonal for those friends I left behind.

I guess it shouldn’t be that surprising—if it is not working for us, it is not likely nourishing the other person either.  After shedding those unsatisfying relationships, full authenticity and careful selection have given me the most satisfying new friendships of my life. I made room for these new friendships by letting go.

Are you holding on to a job that is no longer in alignment with you and your dreams?  I know that one is difficult too, but if we are no longer growing or satisfied, is this job really serving us any longer?

Ideally a job should be about more than a pay check. Have you ever gotten service from someone who is clearly just there for the paycheck? It’s not fun for anyone. Is this your life’s purpose? No? Well, then it may be time to let go and find something that excites you.

After 13 years of selling telecom equipment, my job had grown stale and my interest had long ago atrophied. I started out learning, striving, and loving it. Towards the end, although I still loved the people, the flexibility, the company, the pay—I didn’t love the work, and I wasn’t doing myself or others a favor by staying there.

I got the gift of a layoff a few years ago during a downsizing and I decided to recreate myself. I am infinitely happier as a nutrition counselor.  My job is in alignment with my values and dreams, and that gets me out of bed every morning with enthusiasm. I will be honest—it was scary to let go. But, the rewards for having done so are absolutely worth it.

In addition to friendships and jobs, there are many other categories that would serve us well to re-evaulatuate and consider letting go—material goods cluttering our house, our outdated beliefs, tiresome habits, foods that are undermining our health goals and more. Once we are clear in these areas, our colon will likely start to behave that way too—the way it is supposed to.

You and your colon will be happier for it, I swear!

Tracy Stevens is a Nutrition Counselor trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her company, Intuity Wellness, is dedicated to creating health and happiness one meal and lifestyle change at a time.    

Tracy gives accountability, inspiration, and guidance customized to each person’s particular needs. She starts with a free initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment that lights the path to goal attainment through sustainable, comfortable lifestyle changes that last a lifetime. Contact her at www.intuitywellness.com or [email protected]

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Editor: Nikki Di Virgilio

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