As we step into a new year, many of us focus on resolutions, plans, or goals. But alongside letting go of what no longer serves you, what if you practiced letting in?
Letting in involves intentionally inviting positive experiences, nurturing inner strengths, and cultivating the mental resources you need to thrive.
Building your inner strengths
While mindfulness teaches us to acknowledge and accept our experiences, positive neuroplasticity takes it a step further: actively growing beneficial traits like joy, connection, and resilience.
Think of your mind as a garden—by letting go of what depletes you and letting in nourishing experiences, you plant the seeds for inner strength.
Dr. Rick Hanson’s HEAL framework is a powerful method to cultivate these strengths:
- Have a positive experience.
- Enrich it by noticing its details.
- Absorb it by staying with the sensation for 10–20 seconds.
- Link it to counterbalance challenging memories or feelings (optional).
What to let in
According to neuroscience, humans have three essential needs: safety, satisfaction, and connection. When one of these is unmet, we feel stressed, frustrated, or lonely. The good news is that you can grow these needs within yourself by “taking in the good.”
Safety: Recall or create moments where you feel secure and grounded. It could be the warmth of a hug, the stability of sitting like a mountain, or the memory of a time you stood strong. Immerse yourself fully in these moments to strengthen your sense of safety.
Satisfaction: Savor life’s small joys—the taste of your morning coffee, sunlight filtering through trees, or completing a task. Let these moments sink in, filling your mind and body with contentment.
Connection: Welcome feelings of love and belonging. Remember a kind word, a shared laugh, or the support of a friend. Even neutral moments of peace in relationships can grow into deeper feelings of connection when you give them attention.
The power of repetition
Even brief moments of positive experiences, when consciously absorbed, can reshape your brain over time. Neuroscience shows that “taking in the good” transforms fleeting states into lasting traits. By focusing on micro-moments of joy, calm, and connection, you build the inner resources to face life’s challenges with resilience.
Start small, start now
Letting in doesn’t require grand gestures or ideal circumstances. Pause to notice the good in your life, savor it, and stay present with it for just a few seconds longer. Over time, these moments accumulate, fortifying your capacity for well-being.
Reflect and act
- What moments of joy, safety, or connection can I let in today?
- How can I nourish my inner garden in small, meaningful ways?
Let’s step into the new year not only by letting go but also by letting in—building a foundation for greater resilience, joy, and connection.
P.S. This post is part of a two-part series on letting go and letting in. If you missed the first part on letting go, read the article here.
