The Importance of Releasing Built-Up Energy

“Thunder is good, thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.” – Mark Twain

I was sitting outside this morning, sipping coffee as a gentle rain shower passed through. Lightning flickered across the sky, thunder rumbled in the distance, and I was struck by how beautiful it all was. That simple moment sent me down a little “Google trail” of facts about thunder, lightning, and their connection with the earth. The more I read, the more amazed I felt by how deeply nature is woven together and how much of that connection we often overlook.

It reminded me of something from many years ago, when I worked at the bank. One of the first lessons they taught us about working with customers was this: you must create a connection before offering advice. That connection built trust, and with trust came a relationship.

Without it, nothing meaningful could take root.

Isn’t the same true with our Mother Earth? How important it is to slow down, notice her rhythms, and take the time to build connection. With connection comes care, and with care comes relationship.

When thunder shakes the earth, we are reminded that even the sky must let go. Storms don’t appear out of nowhere, they build from heat, pressure, and imbalance. Eventually, the energy becomes too great to hold, and nature finds its release through lightning and thunder.

This release isn’t destructive by design. It’s restorative. The rain nourishes the soil. The air cools. The atmosphere resets. Without the storm, the earth would stay tense, suffocated by pressure that has nowhere to go.

We are no different.

Each of us carries storms inside; emotions we bottle up, words we don’t say, grief we don’t grieve. Like the sky, we can only hold so much. When we refuse to release what weighs on us, it doesn’t disappear; it hides in our bodies, our thoughts, our relationships. The pressure builds until it finds a way out; sometimes in anger, sometimes in tears, sometimes in illness.

But when we allow release — a cry, a deep conversation, a prayer, a long walk, a creative expression — we restore balance. We clear space for peace, for clarity, for renewal.

Just as thunder reminds us the earth is alive and in motion, our own release reminds us we are living, feeling beings. And letting go is not weakness. It’s wisdom.

Because in both nature and life, release is what makes room for growth.

Ways to Release Built-Up Energy

Journaling – Write freely, without judgment, letting your emotions pour onto the page.

Movement – Dance, stretch, walk, or shake your body to let energy flow out physically.

Crying or Laughing – Both are natural releases the body uses to reset and heal.

Breathwork – Deep, intentional breathing can calm the nervous system and move stuck energy.

Prayer or Meditation – Offer what you’re holding onto to God/the universe, releasing it into something greater than yourself.

Creative Expression – Paint, sing, garden, or create in any form that feels like release.

Speaking It Aloud – Share your feelings with a trusted friend, partner, or even speak them in solitude — the act of voicing brings relief.

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Reflection Question:

What energy are you still holding onto that is ready to be released — and how might you allow yourself a healthy “thunderstorm” so that renewal can follow?