Recently, my family took a hike to a local Colorado state park. This particular hiking spot was a dam that is now a broken, and it’s flowing! With all of the rain that we’ve had recently, a sizeable river is rushing through with a mighty force.

In one calm runoff spot, a small rainbow trout was spotted by my eldest, and the fish was trying desperately to fight its way upstream. After visible exhaustion, finally, the trout surrendered and allowed itself to be taken into the waters below.

What would your life be like if you surrendered more, rather than fight? Sometimes, when we dig our heels in deep in resistance it causes a cascade of challenges This is because we are thinking too far into the future, and it places our bodies in fight mode. If we can get to surrender (and, mind you, letting go in surrender is NOT the same giving up in defeat) we are more open to dealing with what’s happening in our present moment, and can stay. This stay allows for more focus, greater problem-solving abilities, and a calmer nervous system – not to mention, a more positive outlook.

I will share that living with arms open in surrender has been a life-changer for me.

So I ask:

Are you trying to make your way upstream in an exhausting fight?

What would happen if you let go, just a little bit, and surrender?