Written by Heather M. Burt, YIELD Coach
Heather Burt is the founder of Your Individual EvoLution Directive (YIELD) and author of Personal Evolution: Four Essential Elements For Navigating Your Life. Her passion and vision include helping others embrace an Evolutionary Mindset to align more fully with their authenticity, enabling them to share their gifts with the world.
Can leaning into Surrender drive our Personal Evolution in unimaginable ways? What does Surrender mean in a culture that champions power, success, and achievement? How can we find peace through surrendering without sacrificing our identity and dreams? Surrendering may seem like waving a white flag and giving up, but it can also become a practice that allows you to live in the present moment.
Surrender, but don’t give up
The Corey Hart song "Never Surrender" starts playing in my head when I think of Surrender. He makes a valid argument for never surrendering. After all, “with a little perseverance, you can get things done.” Fundamentally, I agree that one should never surrender in terms of giving up. However, a nuanced difference in how we hold Surrender can determine our ability to adapt functionally to our present reality.
Too often, when life is not going the way we would like it to, we waste a lot of energy thinking about how we wish it were different. Maybe someone less qualified than you gets the promotion you were hoping for, or your partner blindsides you and tells you they are leaving the relationship.
Perhaps you get an opportunity to demonstrate the talent you dream will propel you into stardom, only to be told you’re not what they are looking for. What then? Do you spend hours, days, weeks, or even years playing events over in your head, thinking about what you could have done or said differently to change the outcome? Or do you Surrender to what is?
When we practice surrendering to what shows up in life, we are not giving up; we are becoming present with what is. When we are present with what is, we create space to respond functionally to our current reality. Instead of lamenting what will never be, we still keep our minds and are open to new possibilities. What seems like a setback may be a blessing in disguise, but we will never know if we cannot Surrender to what is right in front of us.
Minimize resistance to becoming receptive
When we lean into Surrender, we place ourselves in a state of receptivity. It’s not about giving up on the Vision for our life; it’s acknowledging that from our limited perspective, we may not have the complete picture of what’s possible for us. When we Surrender to what is, we recognize feedback from the Universe that gives us clues along our path of Personal Evolution.
If you are struggling to Surrender, write down the current circumstance, without dramatic commentary or emotion, that has hold of your mind in a journal or on a piece of paper. Then, identify three to five actionable steps you can take in response to your present reality, recognizing that you only have control over how you respond. When we can Surrender and begin consciously creating from the present moment, we empower ourselves to live more deliberate, authentic lives.
By itself, Surrender, or any of the other three Elements of Evolution, Awareness, Forgiveness, and Vision, can fundamentally change how we experience life. However, when applied collectively, The Four Elements of Evolution offer a framework for navigating life that begins to untether us from rigid beliefs that limit our Personal Evolution. My next article will examine how these four elements work together so you can live your most remarkable life.
If you want more information on Personal Evolution, visit my website or pick up a copy of my book, Personal Evolution: Four Essential Elements For Navigating Your Life.
Amazon link here.
YouTube link for Corey Hart’s “Never Surrender”
Read more from Heather M. Burt
Heather M. Burt, YIELD Coach
Heather Burt skillfully integrates distinct perspectives and methods in order to distill fundamental concepts so they can be applied universally. As a result of her own diverse background and journey to wholeness, Heather has found her passion in understanding and synergistically melding personal growth concepts to facilitate a broader, more individualized application. Her mission involves helping others experience freedom through Evolutionary thinking.
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