Strength & Surrender

When I practice yoga, I can hear my gymnastics coach's voice in my head saying, "push a little bit more, you got this." I can also hear my yoga teacher in between my poses saying, "relax so much that you feel as if you have fainted." Finding this balance is utmost important not only on the mat, but also in life. 

If I had 2 words for the year 2020, they would be strength and surrender…. I've been thinking of these words a lot lately and needing both of their qualities to get through these tough times. Just like with anything in life we need an equal balance to create harmony and peace. Too much of one will create imbalance and dis-ease. 

For most of my life I was taught to be strong, to push through the tough and the pain, to "tough it out"…. which I'm grateful that I did learn to do that, but what I lacked was the opposite. I did not know how to turn off, slow down, or reset. As an athlete, this was a foreign concept. It felt uncomfortable and it felt like a waste of time. It became apparent to me later in life that I needed to be both strong and supple in order to live a fulfilled and more balanced life. 

I encourage you to try to push yourself a little harder in those areas you need and want to grown in in your life, that 1 extra push-up, resist 1that last piece of junk food, or work that extra hour…. But I also encourage you to then step back and let go, surrender to life and all it's glories. Don't miss the smell of the flowers or the sweetness of the fruits. 

Fo most of us learning to let go can be hardest thing to do. When was the last time that you truly surrendered and let go, just you and your breath, you and the beat of your heart, a complete shut-down and unplugging, and just sat in stillness? When we tap into this space and become more comfortable with it, we can learn to let go and surrender a little more each time. The more balanced we become as individuals the more balanced we become as a whole.