During a conversation I was having with a friend I kept saying I needed to ‘let go” of whatever was troubling me. I said the phrase enough times that she said, I actually think you need to “surrender”.
Uff!
I got quiet.
I listened.
I thought to myself, surrender? Hmm…how is that different from letting go? Though deep down inside I knew the truth.
Surrender is to give in, yield, concede, submit, lay down. None of which I wanted to do. Letting go means releasing ones hold, which meant that I can pick it up again…but in this instance I knew that I needed to surrender.
Later that same day I met a dear friend for lunch and during our time together she used the word surrender several times. Unbeknowst to her each time she said it, it was a watershed moment for me. I realized I had lost my way and though I kept saying I was going to “let it go”, what I needed to do was surrender it.
I walked away from that lunch challenged. Knowing full well what I needed to do and also knowing how difficult that was going to be for me.
Was I conceding? Submitting? Giving in? As a stubborn latina all those words were a trigger.
On my car ride home, I visualized myself going to the edge of the ocean and laying down what was bothering me. I saw it moving away from me into the vastness of the sea never to come back to me.
I not just letting it go, I was surrendering.
Why did I have to surrender, because what I was carrying was never mine to carry.
Was it easy? Nope.
Am I happier? Yes.
Sometimes we find ourselves picking up battles that were never ours to begin with. I conceded to the battle that was never mine to fight.
What battle are you fighting that you need to do more than let go…but surrender.
Do it.