Surrender Isn't Giving Up

Surrender is not giving up.

Tim Connor

Many people fail to surrender to various circumstances in life where they would be better served if they adopted this philosophy or attitude simply because they don’t really understand the difference between surrendering to something and giving up or in.

Surrender – yield to a strong emotion, influence, or temptation or to yield or submit to some inner or outer condition or force.

To give up or quit - to abandon a pursuit, desire dream or goal that you have devoted time, energy, time or resources to.

See the difference here? One is to yield to a behavior or circumstance as in – learning to control emotions, feelings or mindsets regarding some life area that ultimately will be in your best interests to pursue.  In other words - refusing to let others have the power to push your emotional buttons and cause reactions or responses that cause you inner guilt or some other negative emotional response.   This surrender is to gain ultimate emotional control over your behavior.

To give in or to give up relates to dealing with a task, activity, goal or some behavior that is either positive or negative but just abandoning and further pursuit or consistent behavior.  This can be both a good as well as a bad thing – quitting drugs, food over indulgence or some other destructive behavior or quitting a job, career, relationship or pursuit can have mixed outcomes.

Struggling with the need to let go of something?  A lost relationship? A career that is no longer relevant? A way of life that you became addicted to but is no longer possible or probable? A business product that is just  no longer selling?  An employee that refuses to get on board and the need to let them go? A financial addiction that is no longer necessary or beneficial?   This list is endless but in the end sooner or later we all need to find the courage and confidence to let go of (surrender) some emotional attachment or to physical or “stuff” need.

Why can’t people surrender or let go of something or anything?  Is it a fear of the unknown?  Is it insecurity?  Is it a lack of faith?  Is it a lack of courage?   Is it immaturity?  Is it some attachment to what is or was?  Or is it just greed, ego or the need to be in control?  The answer to each of these question is yes.  The key is to do the inner work to determine what your personal reason(s) is or are.  The other problem is that most people are unwilling or afraid to do this inner work.

Hanging on to anything can sooner or later often cause a great deal of pain, guilt, resentment or even anger.  The opposite is also true.  Learning to let go of or surrender to something in your life that no longer serves your present or future best interests can be like lifting a huge weight off your shoulder.  It can feel like a ‘freeing’ event one that allows you to move into tomorrow with greater peace, happiness and even contentment.

Surrender is a positive act that when embraced will permit you to leave the past, with all its memories, frustration and sense of accomplishment, behind.  Yesterday is history.  Yes hold on to the learning, the benefits and positive memories but when all is said and done, it’s still history and there is nothing in the world you can do to re-live it, re-do it or re-capture it.