Letting Go: Surrender and Finding Inner Peace

Floating serenely, a woman embraces the calming embrace of water, symbolizing the journey to inner peace through surrender.

Why Letting Go Is So Hard

I’ve told myself a million times that I need to “let go.” The message keeps showing up in meditation, in the books I read, even in sessions with clients — surrender, let go, release. And yet, even with all the inner work I’ve done, I still find myself pummeled at times by chaos and thrown into deep darkness.

It’s frustrating, isn’t it? To know in your mind that you should let go, but to still feel that grip of control and fear pulling you back in. This is part of the work of learning surrender — it’s not a one-time event, it’s a practice.

The Broken Record of Holding On

For me, not letting go often feels like a broken record. The scratching, thrashing sound playing over and over in my head — familiar but unbearable. At some point, I realized that I could choose to lift the needle. I could stop the noise, even if just for a moment.

That awareness is powerful. Because when we see that we’ve been playing the same broken record, we also see that we don’t have to. We can change the record entirely, or we can learn to sit with the background noise without letting it control us.

The Healing Power of Letting Go and Surrender

So what is surrender? It’s not giving up or ignoring life’s responsibilities. To me, surrender is more about trust. It’s letting go of the addiction to control, the belief that we have to figure everything out on our own.

Instead of treading water frantically in an endless ocean, surrender feels like choosing to float — allowing the current to carry you exactly where you need to be.

This is not weakness. It’s actually one of the bravest things you can do. Surrender lets your body’s natural systems recalibrate and find balance. It opens space for healing and peace.

Living in the Present

The most practical way I’ve found to practice surrender is by living in the present moment. It sounds simple, but it’s a discipline that requires awareness.

When I am present, I am not rehashing the past or worrying about the future. I am simply here. Right now, I’m writing these words. Later, I’ll get ready for the day, prepare for my clients, and hold space for each one of them. When I’m with them, they have my full attention. That presence is surrender in action.

The truth is, anxiety and presence cannot exist in the same breath. When you bring yourself back to the here and now, you invite peace in.

Letting Go as a Daily Practice

Letting go doesn’t mean we never feel fear or pain again. It means we no longer let those emotions dictate our every move. We can acknowledge them, breathe with them, and then return to the present moment.

Today, I invite you to join me in practicing surrender. Let’s learn to be engaged in the moment while detached from the outcome. That balance — engaged yet free — is where true peace begins. 🌿