The Sole Act of Surrendering

One of the many lessons life teaches you at some point, is the act of surrendering

When we were growing up, we had a stronghold on so many things — from our education to our professions, marriage, and the general purpose of living.

We were taught that the more hardworking we are, the better results we are bound to get. And so we inserted that mantra somewhere at the forefront of our mind as we carried on growing.

We were also told that the longer we hold on, the better results we would get. In simple terms, “the patient dog eats the fattest bone”, and so we run along with it. Implementing it in every area of life that it doesn’t even need to affect.

We were told that it’s only a matter of time and our dreams of a good job, mansion, freedom, and other life luxuries will be actualized. Yet again, we run with this tinge of hope, for their realization.

But we tend to forget something along the way of living — in our growth spectrum, and that is, life isn’t linear.

The amount of time and effort you put into something doesn’t necessarily guarantee its success. One thing is to try your best or work hard toward something, another is for life happenings as the case may be, or God, at that moment, to relieve you so that you can achieve them.

It is contrary to what we’ve been taught or got to know on our own. However, the sooner we realize that less is more in many areas of life, the better.

The “less is more” depicts the act of surrendering here — when we come to terms with the loose grasps over the tight hold.

When we hear the words to surrender, we quickly jump to elusive conclusions that doing so depicts weakness or connotes other negative terms. But this is not so. Especially when you’ve strived hard to achieve or protect something that took time and hasn’t yet come through.

The act of surrendering gives us room to breathe — temporarily — at least.

The act of surrendering means letting go, in order to let in. It doesn’t necessarily mean to give up but to let go of your tight hold to something that seems to be taking over you.

There is power in a lot of things in a lot of ways, but there’s none greater than the power of the mind.

The turns and tussles of life can get pretty overwhelming all too soon. And all we are forced to do, if we don’t intentionally choose it, is to surrender. And by then, it’d be more painful.

When we fight too hard to obtain something, that’s when it eludes us. Be it a job, high following on social media, marriage, or other life needs. But when we surrender to the invincible force of luck, God, or any thing that breeds a supernatural feeling to one, that’s when we obtain.

That’s why we have surprises that knock people off their feet, elated moments that linger on for so much longer.

But imagine if you wished for something and got it immediately, always. You would not be as elated as someone who thought it was game over.

The act of surrendering is neither there to demean you nor your character, but instead to uplift your spirit.

Try spreading your wings and imagine that you’re flying. Over all the hassles of life; the traffic jams, the noise pollution, and the crowd, how does that make you feel? Free. Both in the mind and in spirit.

That’s what surrendering looks like.

Once I notice that something is ensnaring me or someone is attempting to hold something against me or use it against me, immediately I retract. And the times I don’t, I always feel mentally enslaved to that.

Once you’ve sworn that your spouse must come around, with their behavior after countless behavioral indications that they don’t want you, you’re setting yourself up in a cage of agony and loneliness on top of it.

And so on.

Loose that tight hold. The strong pull to keep pushing for something that is void and unyielding. Relationship. Family. Work. Friends. Life. Hold it. But free it too. And watch your spirit lifted and mind freed — with enough room for more fulfilling ideas to occupy and productivity.

The act of surrendering isn’t giving up, it’s letting go.

As the popular quote says: “if you want to know something’s for you, leave it. And if it returns back to you, then it’s yours” — Unknown

Try it and see.