Give yourself permission

A good friend and colleague first introduced me to Elizabeth Gilbert’s work.

I’ve always really liked the way she writes, especially her letters, and the idea of writing to parts of ourselves and letting those parts write back.

I read Big Magic a few years ago, and parts of it have stayed with me ever since.

One idea I come back to a lot and that I often share with clients, is her idea of permission.

So many of us feel like we’re waiting for it from somewhere outside. A boss. A partner. A parent. Society. Some invisible authority that will finally say, “Yes, you’re allowed.”

But most of the time, what we’re actually looking for is permission from ourselves.

One of the passages from Big Magic that really stayed with me is how she invites you to physically write yourself a permission slip. 

So today, I’m going to encourage you to do exactly that.

Write Yourself a Permission Slip

Ask yourself:

What permission do I need right now?

Permission…

to rest
to push
to park something unfinished
to say no
to protect your time
to be proud of yourself
to grieve something
to start again
to leave something behind

Here’s How to Write It

Take a piece of paper, and write it by hand if you can.

PERMISSION SLIP

From the desk of: [Your Name]
Date: [Today]

I hereby give myself permission to:

→ __________________
→ __________________
→ __________________

This permission is granted without guilt, apology, or the need to justify it to anyone.

Signed,

____________________________________________________

Here’s Mine

PERMISSION SLIP

From the desk of: Dr Matt Slavin
Date: Friday 27th February, 2026

This Saturday, I hereby give myself permission to:

→ Be tired and go to bed early

→ Be unavailable and trust it’s okay

→ Dress as a pirate for the mermaid parade and commit to the costume without worrying how I look

This permission is granted without guilt, apology, or the need to justify it to anyone.

Signed,
Matt