Writing and Healing Idea #31: Writing a Letter of Resignation

I wonder if many of us, if not most of us, at one time or another, in the teeth of resistance, much like the woman carrying her notebooks to the curb for the trash truck—I wonder if we don’t at least have to entertain the question: Is it time to quit?

(Well, maybe not entertain this question for weeks—maybe not feed it a series of meals, put it up in the guest room—but still, however briefly, entertain the question.)

Thus, as a kind of exercise in entertaining the question: the letter of resignation.

You are invited to write a letter of resignation to whomever you like and in regard to any activity or relationship to which you feel resistance. You would like to resign from your job? A particularly thorny relationship? The care of your house? The mowing of your lawn? The elliptical machine? Broccoli? What about resigning from writing? Or healing? You are invited to write a letter resigning from whatever and whomever you feel you most need to resign from. Include, if possible, your reasons for resignation. And, if you’d like, go ahead and set a date on which the resignation will become effective.

You may also write, in lieu of a letter of resignation, a letter outlining the terms under which you would consider staying.

[Please note: If you decide to write either of these letters, it’s probably prudent not to send it right away, if at all. Unless, of course, you are sending a letter to yourself, in which case you may go ahead and send it at any time.]