Surrender (But Don’t Give Up)

How are you?

There’s abundant uncertainty¹ in the world. What’s your relationship with not knowing what’s next? Have you considered surrender?

Surrender isn’t giving up or giving in. Surrender is letting go of what was not yours in the first place.

Letting go, far from being disempowering, is empowering.

“Don’t hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.”—Epictetus

What if, just for today, you let go of your expectations for the future and embraced what’s going on right now with a little more curiosity?

What happens if, just for today, you hold your assumptions and agendas more loosely?

What if, just for today, you engaged with yourself and those around you with a little more compassion?

What if, just for today, you accept both your personal relevance and cosmic insignificance?²

“You find success by worshiping with your own right actions the One from whom all actions arise and by whom the world is pervaded.”—The Bhagavad Gita

Surrender, then, is to acknowledge and accept your inner divinity and duty to be true to your calling and unattached to outcomes destiny has in store.

Through surrender, you can embrace that life doesn’t happen to you. Life happens through you.

Do the Work

What if, just for today, you practiced empathy, trust, and worthiness from the inside out?

How might surrender help you reframe yourself, your situation, and what you decide to do next with and for those you’re called to serve?

Take time to journal or discuss your work, and be sure to apply your takeaways.

This article is the republished ninth and final lesson from my handbook, “The Art of Encore Living.” See the links in the footnotes to access additional chapters³ or to purchase the complete guide for $1 on Amazon,⁴ or access the entire course for free.⁵