In a recent post, I spoke to one of the Juicy Life Lessons I learned while recovering from an elected surgery. That post was all about the courage to follow through with a decision even when the going gets tough. This recent experience created a new self- awareness for me since I thought I was the poster child for pulling up my big girl panties and getting on with whatever decision I had made.
The additional learning I came away with from being on this fitness health journey was that I had a lot to learn about “surrendering.” The first several weeks of my recovery meant that I had to turn to pain Meds and people to help with my healing. Preferring not to do too much of either, I ignored the advice at times and paid the price. Other times I was faced with no choice. I needed the support of my physical therapist, close friends, my honey and help with things that are part of everyday living (like lifting my legs into bed). I felt very humbled and realized I could change my resistance mode and instead look to my acceptance as a necessary aspect of gaining internal harmony.
Webster refers to surrender as “give way; yield; concedes; submits” – the last term being one of my least favourite words in the English language. Certainly I had a lot of internal work to do to redefine it as “letting go of resistance and accepting what is.” Instead of always saying, “I’m sorry” when I needed help, I needed to change my response to that help. With my honey’s input, I learned to say “I love you!” along with my normal “thank you” to him instead.
Maya Angelou shared the following in one of her books: “At fifteen life had taught me undeniably that surrender, in its place, was as honourable as resistance, especially if one had no choice.” Since I think she was a very wise woman, I opted to learn from her.
Juicy Morsels:
- What are you resisting that might stand in your way of a better career or life? If you took the first leap and let go, how might it allow more harmony in your world?
- Find the support you need to move through difficult moments as they pass. It could be a coach, a therapist, a group or some type of a support that stands with you, but doesn’t expect to be there forever. Anne Morrow Lindbergh tells us then “we will live more richly those moments” (like I did)!