Three Reasons You Must Have the Courage to Surrender Right Now

How to use the transformative energy of the global crisis to serve you and humanity

We’re in the middle of huge global change.  Many of us are clinging to the past waiting for things to get “back to normal”.  But, what is normal?  And, was “normal” healthy and vital?  The only thing that is normal and constant is change.  Imagine if we never evolved and stayed stuck in the past.  We’d be living in mud houses and freezing our butts off without heat.  Our view of the world would be limited to our small tribe rather than the thousands of cultures that exist.  Women would still be property sold for marriage to the highest bidder, and slavery would still be the norm.  Sometimes change is a really good thing, but it takes courage to surrender to change.

Here are the three reasons you must surrender to the transformation happening globally right now:

Reason 1: We’re not going back. 

Don’t hold onto old crap that is begging to go through the destructive process.  It no longer serves you. Think about all those things you didn’t love about juggling work and life before quarantine.  How was your relationship?  What were your family dynamics like?  Your health? Did you have old stories and protections that were harming you vs. helping you?  

Anything that prevents you from feeling vital, loved, connected, abundant, and purposeful can go now.  Write everything down on a piece of paper that no longer serves you.  Thank it for its place in your life that brought you to where you are now and when you’re at peace, allow it to be burned off and transformed.  Be willing to let go.   

Reason 2: The more you hold onto the past, the longer it will take you to adapt to what’s being created. 

If you fight such a strong transformational energy, you will struggle – I promise.  Yes, you will find chaos during transformation and it will likely be uncomfortable for all of us, but the fight will make it much worse.  It’s like trying to swim up class V rapids thinking you can somehow fight the current of the river.  You can’t – the flow is too powerful.  You’ll end up at the exact same place you would have if you surrendered, but you’ll be  exhausted, depleted, and battered. 

Write down all the places you’re holding onto the “old” ways of doing things.  Clean the slate and decide what the core elements of your life and work are.  Build your next steps off the core elements and what they need now – not last month.   Stop fighting anything that’s not a core element, and stop expecting the old formula of how to obtain these core elements to be the best.  Let go and flow with the energy.  It has your best interest at heart.

Reason 3: You get to create the future.  

We all know the old way of doing things was well – old.  When old ways of doing things begin to die, this opens a void to create.  You get to decide during this time what values you hold onto that will drive your future.   This is a time to be conscious of what serves your deepest, purest hopes and dreams for the future. 

Write down the vision you want to create in your future.  Plant the seeds for a healthy and vital body, a connected family, deep love, meaningful purpose, abundance, a vital planet, or anything that feels true to you.  Shift the energy you used to hold onto the past and use it to create this beautiful future for yourself and humanity.  Your energy will be much better spent creating, and the more of us that do it, the quicker we get there.

I know it feels like our lives have been tossed in the air and we’re not sure how everything will land.  Every system in the world is getting tested right now and pushed to evolve including how we do business, how we lead in our families, the educational system, the financial system, the healthcare system, the political system, the geopolitical system, and the global planet.  They’re all evolving, because it’s time.  The energy behind this transformation is well beyond anything we can control, and the momentum is building.  I know it’s a bit scary, and times like this feel very uncertain, because they are.  Have the courage to surrender to the experience and allow the flow of a power much greater than us to guide the ship.  We’ll know the best next step if we get curious and listen to the transformation rather than bury our heads in the sand and wish for what was.   We will get through this, and on the other side we’ll be more balanced and on our way to a beautiful, vital future.

— Published in Thrive Global on May 13, 2020

A Declaration from a Woman to the World

Dear World,

I am a woman.  I am strong and powerful and my gifts are now being called in this world.  It's not a whisper anymore, but a drum beat calling me to rise.  My purpose has now seen the light and I must nurture it into being.  Every unlock in my purpose will make me stronger and more powerful.   Powerful full of love, authenticity, truth, creativity, courage, energy, and faith.  This might scare you.  In fact, I know it will.  Many have been scared in the past when small doses of me have been unleashed.  I feared causing anyone to be uncomfortable and stuffed this beautiful, life force power deep inside making me sick and weak.  I've been afraid if I roar, I will knock you over.  If I speak with the power of my authenticity, I will scare you.  If I took up space, I would shrink you.  All of these fears kept me quiet, small, and safe. I am here to declare right here and right now that I can not and will not stay small, silent and weak.  I will not shy away from who I am and who this world is calling me to be.  This may make you uncomfortable, but your comfort is not my responsibility anymore - not to the detriment of my soul and the countless humans who would benefit from me being my authentic, full, big self. 

This world is rapidly changing and I know I am being called to lead during this time.  If what I say unlocks a knowing deep inside and we share this journey together for a day or a lifetime, I wholeheartedly welcome it.  And, if my big, beautiful self triggers your deepest fears and insecurities and you need to judge or hate me for a while, so be it.  I hope this trigger will eventually open the opportunity to heal the wound causing you such pain.  And, if what I say doesn't resonate at all, that's okay.  I'm not here anymore to win a popularity contest or have my worth determined by others.  I am here, unapologetically taking up space for me to be the powerful being and leader I was born to be. 

I am so grateful for every step along my journey full of pleasure and pain to get to this place of courage. I wish every human the same opportunity to look in the mirror and see their loving power to heal themselves, their families, and the world.  You are also bold, beautiful, and powerful, and you CAN take up space, too.  You need no one's permission but your own.

With all my love,

A Woman Leading