Squeezing or Surrendering?

Are you Squeezing or Surrendering? Are you tightly holding a vision of the outcome of an important goal in your life or career? And by tightly, I mean squeezing so hard there’s no room for deviation or for bigger and better opportunity? In her book Return to Love, Marianne Williamson said, “In order for us to achieve anything in our life, we must learn to surrender the attachment of the results. “ I couldn’t get this out of my mind because I believe most of what we do in our careers and businesses greatly relate to the end-results we are trying to achieve.

What else is there right?

I am referring to identifying what it is you want and surrendering by relaxing into the results. Surrendering in this sense does not mean giving up; it means letting go. Letting go after stating your intention. Letting go after identifying your target client. Letting go after determining what marketing strategy would best fit your business. Instead of the surrender Williamson speaks of, we squeeze. And when we squeeze our intentions into specific result parameters, we leave no room for other opportunities to come our way that could be bigger and better.

What would happen if we let go of our attachment to the outcome?

There is a concept called “ zen mind, “ or “beginners mind.” Surrender is a process of emptying your mind.-“ Empty your mind for you cannot allow anything else in if you do not.” We are not teachable when are minds are too full. There are many ways we can go about doing this including doing The Work of Byron Katie, using Brooke Castillo’s method of Self Coaching 101, journaling thoughts to detoxify and clean your mind, or by hiring a coach or mentor. We must keep our eyes wide open, our hearts full of love and our minds cleansed. Martha Beck reminds us that the cleaner your mind, the cleaner your energy, Surrendering can be freeing. Once you state your intention, you can relax your mind from trying to control the outcome; as if you wrote your business intentions on a balloon and then let it go in the air.

In surrendering, you are doing many things:

• Stating your desires to the Universe
• Clearing your controlling worries so you can stay in an open focus frame of mind
• Practicing faith that whatever your results are, they will be achieved with your highest good in mind.

So many times we are trying to control the outcome and we exhaust our selves. I found myself doing this in my own coaching practice. I needed more clients. I needed to work harder. I realized it was becoming exhausting. When I gave up and just surrendered, I allowed the Universe to bring people to me that wanted to be coached. I can’t control who needs me! I had to allow it to happen. Now when my old thoughts start creeping in, I empty my mind and surrender to the possibilities. I invite you to take one thing in your life you know you are attached to and surrender the results. Surrender to the possibilities instead of trying to create what you believe is supposed to happen. The Universe, God, bigger powers have others things in mind for you that could be much grander. If you have thoughts like: “If I don’t have clients I can’t pay my bills.” “I’m only as good as the last sales transaction.” “I need my revenue stream to increase.” Then let your surrendering mentality bring you all the opportunities, not just the one you were squeezing. It’s interesting how old thoughts will return and try to control you. But remember, we are not our thoughts. Identify what you want, surrender, cleanse your mind and be in the energy of allowing all possibilities into your life. What goal are you so attached to that you know you are squeezing the end results to death? I challenge you to surrender.