What happens when you surrender?
In June of 2023 I decided to jump feet first into building this little yoga and Reiki business. I wanted to put 100% of my time and effort into sharing these practices—which have so deeply changed me—with others. The months that followed were so exciting — but also incredibly frightening to me. I wasn’t sure if I was capable of building a business, if I were a “good enough” yoga teacher or Reiki practitioner, and I knew for a fact that I was not up to snuff with marketing. It’s a little embarrassing to admit that while I was trying to build a business focused on helping others reduce stress, I was actually stressing myself out.
And then in September I discovered I was pregnant. I was totally thrilled, terrified, and (of course) exhausted. I was already so stressed about building this business up. How could I build a business and grow a baby? I didn’t want to give up on this dream, but I was exhausted. I was deflated. I didn’t know what to do. I confessed this all to my husband, who simply said, “why don’t you just rest? Everything will be here when you’re ready for it.”
I know, I’m a yoga teacher. I should be really good at resting. But I am not. I am a typical A-type American. I want to go until I cannot go any more.
At first I resisted, but eventually I had to yield. For the first time since childhood, I was taking 3 hour naps. I didn’t have time to “work on” the business. My body and mind were asking for rest.
Gradually, as my pregnancy progressed, I gained my energy back. But something had changed. I realized that I didn’t want that stress back. I didn’t need to work so hard at building this business right now. I wasn’t giving up my dream, or my business, I was just letting it rest. I wanted to enjoy my time before this baby arrived. I wanted to live a little more restfully than I had been living. I let myself dive into my yoga, Reiki, and meditation practices. I gave myself space to connect with my inner knowing, and with my baby. I made time each day to sit in gratitude for all that is.
And that is when doors started opening for me. After several months of surrendering to what was, I received more Reiki clients, more opportunities to serve others, and more opportunities to connect with my community. I’d love to go into more detail about these occurrences, but I can’t divulge all of the details quite yet (though I’m sure you’ll learn about them all soon!)
Each time a new door would open, I met it with amazement and gratitude. But I didn’t question it — because it just felt absolutely right.
The circumstances of my life forced me to slow down and let go of what I was clinging too strongly to. And I am so grateful for that.
I debated on whether I should tell this story or not. Sometimes people look at these kinds of stories and think “well, you are just lucky. Not everyone has that kind of luck.” And that’s partially true. I am lucky, blessed, whatever you want to call it. But there’s more to it than that.
According to yogic philosophy, there are several causes of suffering. These are the kleshas. One of these causes is attachment or raga. My attachment to the idea building a business, to “doing” more and more, was actually causing me to suffer. When I let go of that attachment, that suffering eased, and my life was able to blossom in ways I hadn’t imagined before.
So my question to you is this: are you so attached to your current dreams that you are afraid to let go of them? If you let go of those dreams, what might you be making space in your life for? Can you surrender to the unknown? Can you create some space in your mind and body for ease?
How you accomplish this “letting go” will depend on you.
If you’d like someone to bounce your ideas off of, I am here! (At least until this baby arrives!) Send me a DM on instagram, or a quick email. I’d love to listen.
Thank you for reading, for listening, and for taking the time to inquire within yourself. Such a thing is not easy to do in the fast-paced world that we live in (but here you are!)
May all beings everywhere be happy and free ✨
With love,
Ginny Kay
