Surrender

How do you balance making things happen with stepping back when there is a distinct lack of ease?

Does the word ‘surrender’ make you think of giving up and being weak?

But what if surrender was actually our unrecognised, super-gentle power?♥️💪

Here’s the story of how I discovered this for myself…

I was 43 years old and near the point of giving up on my journey to become a mum. It felt like we’d tried everything to create our family. We were on the register as prospective adopters and it still wasn’t happening. No match as yet.

My husband and I were having difficult conversations: I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep trying. I was done waiting, with my life on hold. I decided to put my attention on my work.

I booked a professional development workshop that Marianne Williamson was giving in London. If you’re unfamiliar, she is an author, spiritual teacher and activist, who has since also run for nomination as the Democratic presidential candidate. 

While coaching someone (at the workshop) on their work, she talked about how pushing for results is a masculine way of being.

The feminine, surrendered place in us is passive. It doesn’t DO anything.

Marianne Williamson, A Return To Love

She said that surrender didn’t mean giving up. It did mean letting go of attachment to the outcome. It meant handing it over a higher power: god, source, the universal unquantifiable energy that has this planet go round and connects all of us, call it what you will.

Could it really be that simple?? Suddenly the thought of giving up the struggle, the years of uber-clean living, supplement plans and hair analysis, personal development, getting our house in order, the lack of advance holiday bookings in case our child showed up, seemed very attractive.

That’s what I did. I said to myself, ‘I’m done trying. If this is meant to be, show me the way.’

I went ahead and started up new coaching groups at work. Started booking holidays.

A few weeks later our social worker contacted us to say there was a little girl they thought would be a good match for us.

That (not so little!) girl is my daily reminder that another way is possible.💗

If there’s something which you’re trying to make happen, but which feels clunky and not happening, how about trying a new approach this week?🤔

Surrender to what is. Leave control for another day.

Let’s flourish together!

Arlene x