Fifteen years ago, I was in my mid-twenties going through an incredibly difficult time. I was in a successful job that I secretly knew I didn’t want anymore, in physical agony from a sudden surgery and, maybe the most painful of all, devastatingly heartbroken. At some point, after all the wine and Fiona Apple, though, I knew that I needed to let go.
Somehow the idea of just letting go finally felt good. The idea of surrendering to it all — which felt so scary for so long — now felt powerful.
So I went to a tattoo parlor, and I had the word “surrender” tattooed onto the arch of my foot.
The decision was spontaneous, but the placement was strategic.
You see, by this time, I’d been a yogi for 10 years. I’d sit in meditation pose (which I hated, BTW), with my legs in aa diamond shape — with a clear view of my feet. That tattoo reminded me to surrender regularly, even if just for that moment.
I’ve practiced it again (AND AGAIN!) and again in my life — and it’s in heavy rotation now that we’re in quarantine.
The outside world may be bombarding you with chaos and stress… but you can work with it.
I know, it’s hard to let go. We are told that surrendering is “weak.” We are trained to have a white-knuckle, ironclad grip on controlling our lives. But what’s really giving us the most anxiety, is the fact that we really cannot control everything.
Here’s what you can control: when you’re reaching your limits, you can put the right care rituals in place to relieve that pressure.
Three thoughts to keep in mind:
- The goal isn’t to stay centered 100% of the time. The goal is to recognize your triggers, and learn how to recover appropriately, healthfully, quickly.
- You MAY not be able to do it alone. If you’re gonna need more guidance and a little (or a lotta’) TLC to get through this, I’ve just re-opened my MORECARE program.
- It’s all about repetition and consistency — with practice, you start to get better at it. Pretty soon you’ll be high-fiving yourself and saying “Who’s the calm mom on the block? This one right here, that’s who!” (Okay maybe not, but we work together, I’ll totally say that for you.).
This idea of releasing and relaxing is key — in fact, you start to notice it feels all kinds of amazing.
And you also realize something else that’s incredibly important: during those few moments of release and of letting go, and of surrendering, it actually doesn’t kill you. It doesn’t destroy you. And in fact, maybe it wakes you up and will helps you see things a little bit differently the next time that you practice.
This week in Episode 131 of my podcast, I’m exploring the secret {self}care superpower of surrender.
Relaxing into what’s around you. Letting go of the things you can’t control. (Like when tiny people pop in during your podcast recording demanding to pee because, #momlife. If anything, listen in just to hear that sweet cameo.)
I hope this week’s offering helps you let things go a little bit more easily, and remember that surrendering is more than a strength — it’s your secret superpower.
PS: Have you downloaded my free COVID Care Kit, designed for this stressful transition time? Inside the Care Kit, you’ll get my COVID-19 Self-Care Checklist, The Accidental Homeschooler Planning Template Pack, My Daily Rhythm with a 3- and 5-Year Old (and scheduling template), plus a COVID Care Podcast Series.
