Surrender

Surrender(səˈrendər)

By Leo Babauta

…

I am not advocating(ˈadvəkət) a complete(kəmˈplēt) giving up of control(kənˈtrōl) of all areas(ˈe(ə)rēə) of your life. Obviously(ˈäbvēəslē) this could lead to financial(fəˈnan(t)SHəl, fīˈnan(t)SHəl) ruin(ˈro͞oin), the ruination(ˌro͞oəˈnāSHən) of relationships and your work and health and more.

But before we grasp(grasp) for control(kənˈtrōl), we can try surrender as a way to practice with whatever is coming up … and perhaps to accept things as they are a bit more, and need to control less.

For example … I might be feeling like my health is out of control, and feeling some anxiety(aNGˈzīədē) about it … and so I want to go on a diet and set up an exercise plan and get everything under control. Now, these are not bad intentions, but we know that this kind of fear(fi(ə)r)-based approach(əˈprōCH) often doesn’t work. You never stop feeling out of control.

So instead(inˈsted), I practice surrendering, and feel the fears coming up for me. I relax(rəˈlaks) a bit and see that I’m suffering, that I could use some self-love. I also notice that instead of being unhappy with my health, I could love my body, love this moment as it is, even if it contains some pain and discomfort. Relaxing, surrendering, loving things as they are … I can set an intention to love myself with nourishing(ˈnə-ri-,ˈnəriSHiNG) food and movement(ˈmo͞ovmənt).

The surrendering doesn’t mean that I don’t take action — it means that I accept things as they are, and yet bring a loving intention into the equation(əˈkwāZHən). How can I love things as they are and have my actions come from a place of love as well?

Coming from a place of love instead of fear is powerfully transformative(tran(t)sˈfôrmədiv).

And even if I never take that loving action in the future … the present is transformed as well. This moment is completely different for me if I’m not grasping for the illusion(iˈlo͞oZHən) of control, but instead loving what is.

…
https://zenhabits.net/surrender/