Over-achievers: practice of surrender.

What’s become abundantly clear to me is, I need relief from my inner slave-driver, from my addiction to perfection, from the part of me that feels 'Whatever I achieve right now is just not enough. I need to do more' 
 
I’ve heard this echoed from so many of the women in the Electric Woman community and we are all feeling this pressure as we navigate our new reality of Covid-19 and lockdown.
 
This frantic side of us can create an endless list of what we ‘should be doing’ during this time, how we should be contributing more, calling our friends and family more, reinventing ourselves, reinventing our entire businesses, being more present, making the absolute most of this time.
  
There is relief from this frantic and exhausted way to a much more peaceful and fulfilling path (that is often quite productive too, but keep this between you and me), however. And that, my loves, is…
 
Surrender.
 
So how is surrender, which sounds extremely passive and frankly uninteresting to a high-achiever, the way out?
 
Rather than me giving you my take, see for yourself. (And notice your resistance to taking the time, as you need to ‘get on’.)
 
Here’s a powerful 3-minute surrender exercise created by a dear friend of mine and total Goddess of Surrender, T Keaton-Woods:
 
Stand* with your feet shoulder width apart, and as you take a deep breath elongate your spine. Place your arms at your side with your hands spread wide and palms out facing out. 
Hold your arms away from your body 8-10 inches and hands faced upwards. Take another deep breath, tilt your head slightly up toward the sky, and close your eyes. Hold this position for at least 3 minutes while gently breathing and repeating the words ‘I surrender’.
I recommend doing this first thing in the morning when you get out of bed. It can alternatively be done at any time for quick relief when feeling anxiety or turmoil.
Over time you may try to work up to 10 minutes.
*It is possible to do this exercise seated if you are unable to stand. Simply place your feet flat on the floor, and elongate the spine as much as possible.
 
During my 3 minutes, what came up was a feeling of sadness. Sad about seeing my daughter as a burden when I’m trying to work, sadness and then forgiveness towards myself from screaming at my husband and banging the wall in frustration whilst holding my daughter.
 
And from my sadness, came softening. A softening and appreciation that we are all trying to do our best, sitting with the grief of what’s going on in the world and how we are all trying to cope with making this new life work.
 
And then an acceptance of myself arrived. The frantic energy was released. And what I know for sure, that when we are operating from acceptance, our creativity and desires flourish.

I'd love to hear what your 3 minutes of surrender brought you, let me know at nikki@electricwoman.com

Love Nikki xx