Surrender Versus Action

By Jennifer Kelleher
As human beings here on earth, we co-create our reality every single day. A long time ago, my mom told me that our actions have consequences. The things that we do, consciously and unconsciously, can play a large role in shaping our lives. This week, I’ve been thinking a lot about surrender versus taking action. When is it appropriate to do either? How can we achieve a balance between letting go and accepting the flow of life, and doing, creating, and actively moving forward?
First and foremost, I think it’s important to look at the energy from which we are doing either. When surrender is authentic and comes from a place of deep faith and trust in something greater than yourself, it is the precursor for magic and miracles. However, when surrender comes from a place of fatigue or apathy, it can be more about giving up and cynicism. Similarly, is your action a reaction to something, or is it a commitment to something? If your action is coming from a place of joy and through it you are committing to something, then it is coming from the right place and will carry the right momentum. On the contrary, if the purpose of your action is to get away from something else, it will eventually lack drive because it comes from a place of hurt and is absent of any authentic foundation.
For example, notice the difference: (For surrender:) “I’m done, f- this”, versus, “I relinquish control and trust that I am divinely guided.” (For action:) “I’m going to join a gym because I’m sick of being overweight”, versus, “I’m going to join a gym because I love myself enough to keep myself healthy and I deserve to feel good in my body.” In both scenarios, the second option comes from a place of love, trust, and abundance, whereas the first option comes from a place of fear, disgust, and lack.
If you like to be in control and find it difficult to let go sometimes and trust in an intelligence greater than yourself, I invite you to take little two-minute pauses throughout your day to clear your mind and rest your attention on your breath. If we are constantly in action, we don’t give ourselves the opportunity to work through triggers and sit with discomforts, which makes it impossible for us to heal these deep-seated hurts and evolve from them. Additionally, these pauses will give us space to discern if our actions are authentic and aligned and to change route if necessary. In space, we discover clarity.
On the contrary, if you find yourself in constant waiting and taking action is uncomfortable, I encourage you to start small. Write out a manageable schedule for your day, penciling in some action steps that you know in the long run will help to get you where you want to be. They can be simple at first, such as taking a 10-minute walk outside, preparing a healthy lunch, or disconnecting from social media at sundown.
No matter where you are in your dance between taking action and surrendering, be kind to yourself and just do the best you can. If you’re having trouble making a big decision and can’t discern whether you should take action or be still, try to zoom out and look at the bigger picture. What would serve the greater good?
If you enjoy these articles, I invite you to join me and the Ocean Bliss Yoga community in the studio for classes, workshops, study groups, and more! Sign up at oceanblissyoga.net. Our 200-hour Yoga Alliance-Certified Yoga Teacher Training begins on February 21, 2025. This training is perfect for anyone who wants to deep dive into yoga to refine their own practice and/or continue on to teach. Call me at 917-318-1168 with any questions.