Today I am choosing to take the path of least resistance.
I surrender.
For weeks I have been battling one sickness after another. I have been relentless in my resistance. “I can’t be sick. I have too much to do.” Pushing through each day at 40%. Getting impatient with my boisterous toddler. Making plans upon plans upon plans.
I love to look up definitions when I am writing about something. So, of course, this morning I had to dive into definitions of “surrender”
Surrender: to cease resistance to an enemy or opponent and submit to their authority
Further research into synonyms: to give in, give way, yield, concede, submit, climb down, back down, cave in, lay down one’s arms, raise the white flag, throw in the towel.
Based on what we hear so often in our highly competitive and busy world this message doesn’t sound very appealing, let alone something we should aspire to.
But I would like to challenge this. In yoga, we surrender regularly. We surrender to all of the “stuff” that is going on in our lives. We stop fighting. We focus on being present in the moment. Surrender our minds and bodies to what is.
So instead of feeling that incessant need to CONTROL AT ALL COSTS (trust me, this is coming from a super control freak – surrender is not something that comes easy but I am always better for it when I am able to find a way to let it go) maybe you can look at what is going on in your life and start with the things that you have absolutely no control over. Something small and manageable. Get some practice flexing those surrender muscles.
Here are some ideas:
The next time you are sitting in traffic that is making you late for work, an appointment etc. and you find yourself with an agitated mind, maybe cursing at the traffic and upset about not being able to get where you need right now. Tell yourself. This is out of my control. There is nothing I can do to move this traffic. Although I am sure we all have dreamed about having a magic wand or living in the world of Harry Potter at some point – this is not our reality. Give in. Take a breath. Let it go.
If you are a person who needs something a little more visual – maybe try this exercise that I actually learned from the TV Show Dharma and Greg years ago – yes seriously! Close your eyes and imagine putting your problem, stress, frustration in a bubble and then blow it away. You may love this or you may laugh (as my father did for years – it was a running joke in my family “put it in a bubble” he would say all the time with a laugh) but it is a great way to release what is bothering you. Maybe temporarily, maybe just for a moment. But the more we practice the better we become.
So maybe…just maybe…if you have always held the belief that “to surrender” is weakness, to admit defeat or to throw in the towel…take a few moments TODAY to close your eyes, breathe deeply and ask yourself, Is there an area of my life or a specific thing that I can let go and surrender to what is.
If you have other tips and tricks you use to surrender I would love to hear them and I bet other people reading this would too. Let us know in the comments below!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Nancy Buckle is a wife, mother and small business owner.
Live. Breathe. Grow. is a NJ based yoga company that provides custom printing, design and yoga programming for studios, non-profit organizations and heart-centered businesses. Live. Breathe. Grow.® is a multifaceted company that provides INspiration at every level.
info@livebreathegrow.com
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