Fresh Starts, Mayflies, and Letting Go Of Old Ideas

When I was a kid, summer holidays were a time to reset. After a few weeks with nothing but a notepad, my imagination, and a little creative project, I was ready to ‘get back and get on.’ The sense of wiping the slate clean and starting anew was thrilling. September has always felt like the month with the freshest start for me, and even now, I carry that feeling of anticipation and excitement at the beginning of a new season.

Does a particular time of year feel more like a fresh start for you than others?

Change is often wrapped up in stories we tell ourselves. Sometimes, we cling tightly to ideas, expectations, and beliefs that no longer serve our purposes. To get a better grip on the things that matter most, we sometimes need to release the things we hold onto too tightly. Only then can we make space for what brings more value and meaning to our lives, allowing us to become more of who we are with every passing day.

Clinging onto Dead Mayflies

A client shared a lovely metaphor that stuck with me a few years ago. She described herself as being surrounded by ‘dead mayflies.’ These fleeting ideas would come to her, sparking excitement momentarily, only to fade quickly. Over time, she became tangled in them, like holding onto New Year’s resolutions we never quite follow through with—intentions we cling to but never take action on.

What if we could let them go?

As we worked through her hopes and dreams, we found that letting go of old ideas didn’t mean they were failures. They had served their purpose, offering inspiration and insight along the way. But it was time to release them. By doing so, she cleared the path for new possibilities, and the weight she had been carrying for years was finally lifted.

A Fresh Start Is Always Possible

Holding onto outdated ideas, habits, or assumptions can make it hard to see the possibilities for change. We often think we’re too old, young, or set in our ways. But here’s the truth: change isn’t something that happens to us—it’s something we can step into.

Thinking our way into a new mindset is tough, but acting our way into it? That’s where the magic happens. It’s one thing to know that change is possible, but proving it to yourself through small actions makes it real. Start with simple gestures. These little shifts remind us that stasis isn’t inevitable—change is. More importantly, we can influence how it happens.

That’s why this week, we’re thinking about some small, practical ways to physically move ourselves into a new mindset and embrace the possibility of change in our lives. Small shifts—like choosing something different from usual or altering our appearance—pull us out of our ruts and into possibility. And I mean small…

Fresh Starts and New Possibility

Earlier in 2020, I messed around with my facial hair during lockdown. First, I gave myself muttonchops. It made me laugh every time I looked in the mirror, which was a fun, unexpected source of entertainment. Then I went further and completely shaved all my facial hair off out of curiosity. What struck me most wasn’t how I looked after, but the lesson I learned: Change is always possible.

That small change shifted my perception and reminded me that even when I’m used to things being a certain way, it doesn’t mean they have to stay that way forever. Sure, I grew my beard back after, but it wasn’t just about my preference for a beard—it was about the awareness that even the slightest change can carry a lot of power.

So, what small step can you take to prove to yourself that change is possible? Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Get rid of a ‘just in case’ item.
• Make a change in your environment.
• Alter your appearance, even in small ways.
• Choose something different from your routine.
• Release an item of clothing you never wear.
• Move some furniture around.
• Write down everything you’d like to change—and let some of that stuff go, or recommit to it with fresh eyes.

These small exercises may seem practical (and useful for a bit of a clear-out now and then), but their real power lies in how they influence our mindset. They remind us of our autonomy over our lives, even when we forget it.

We can let go of the idea that things don’t or won’t change for us. By starting small and building the habit of mixing things up, we might see the possibility for more significant changes in our health, relationships, work, finances, or home. Over time, we see change as something we can work with rather than something that happens to us.

Failure, Growth, and Letting Go

We need the space to fail if we want the space to grow. Failure and growth come from the same roots. But to truly learn from failure, we need to rethink our relationship with it. Often, we tie the concept of failure to our self-concept, holding onto shame or perfectionism that keeps us from embracing new opportunities for change.

Perfectionism and shame do funny things to the space we have around growth. We hold onto things too long, making our world small to avoid discomfort or risk. But as Julia Cameron says:

“To the perfectionist, there is always room for improvement. The perfectionist calls this humility. In reality, it is egotism. Pride makes us want to write a perfect script, paint a perfect painting, perform a perfect audition monologue.”

It’s not just in our creative endeavours, though—it’s in all areas of life. Perfectionism keeps us from making changes that we know would improve our lives if we weren’t afraid of failing.

As Paul Gardner put it, “A painting is never finished. It simply stops in interesting places.” Letting go of the idea of ‘completion’ or ‘perfection’ frees us to embrace change, create, and move forward. Much like my client with the dead mayflies, we can let go of outdated ideas, see the value they brought at the time, and clear space for new growth.

So, what dead mayflies are you holding onto? What small, creative steps can you take today to sweep them away and open yourself to the possibility of change?