If you want to fill your life with something new - peace say, or contentment, something creative, or a different way of interacting with the world - then you have to let go of something else.

There is a peaceful and fulfilled life waiting for you, but you must let go of something in order to be able to greet it.

If you want to stop feeling like you always take on too much, let go of being the one who always says yes.

If you want to feel more peaceful, assess where all of your energies go and stop spending it in the wrong places.

If you want time to create, say no to something or someone else.

It’s the only way and the choice is yours, but you don’t get to have both. Living a calm, creative life takes tough choices and in seeking it you will have to look at yourself with a brutally honest, but kindly eye.

You will discover that some of the things you do are to prove your worthiness to other people and to be liked. How exhausting it is not to know in your heart that you are worthy of love already, before you even get up in the morning. The work lies in believing this truth.

You will see that other things you do because you are afraid of missing out, when you know in your heart that your cup is already overflowing with good things. The work lies in learning what is enough.

Sometimes it is because you have been used to putting everybody else before yourself; someone has made you believe that this is what being good looks like. It isn’t. You are here to use your gifts, not to park them while you look after everybody else. The work is to be brave enough to be generous and self-determining, to care for others whilst staying true to your gifts and ambitions.

The little voice inside tells you this kind of recalibration is selfish. But the little voice has kept you stuck for so long now and miles away from the calm, healthy, creative person you really are.

So choose better and let go of the things that you are addicted to, but which stand the way.