The moment it leaves people’s lips, the word “surrender” often falls straight into a trap of misconception. For some, it can signify a sense of weakness—or perhaps even failure—as they stand tall waving the white flag.
But what if surrendering is the most powerful thing you can do? To just. Simply. Stop. Stop fighting the universe and allow the natural flow of things to take its course. Like Steve Maraboli once said, “You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.”
Holding onto a sense of control can be rooted in fear and the unknown—a place you would rather not be because of what you think will happen. So, you choose to remain complacent or safe in your “safety box,” as Janna Johnson describes in her book Unf*ck Your Mind.
After breaking free from years of external and internal control, Johnson, a mindset coach and holistic nutritionist, now sees surrender as not manipulating life to fit a limited idea of how you think it should be. She recalls struggling with chronic Lyme disease, hypothyroidism and gut issues, as well as a marriage in turmoil—experiences that left her feeling like a “shell of a human being.”
Johnson reached her breaking point when she separated after 14 years of marriage. “The idea of going from being with my three kids 100% of the time to 50% was unbearable,” she says.
Healing by surrendering
It wasn’t until Johnson decided to surrender to her true self and unmask her inner flame that she was able to truly let go and say “yes” to herself. She credits this transformation as what gave her the power to heal and start living the life she was meant to—one packed with happiness.
“It took me going through an earth-shattering, heartbreaking season of life to learn the true meaning of forgiveness,” she says. “Forgiveness is not for the other person. Forgiveness is for yourself. This was the beginning of shattering my limited mindset and surrendering to break these invisible chains holding me back. It also taught me about self-love.”
Equipped with a newfound perspective on life, Johnson saw her passion become her purpose when she learned how to navigate health and wellness by using food as medicine, healing the gut and listening to her body. She now devotes her time to helping others regain control of their health and life through her book and her podcast Revive, which she describes as platforms of inspiration and hope that can help those who feel alone during what may be an unexpected storm soar into serenity.
Johnson believes surrendering is integral to who humans are, but it occurs only when you can meet your control and resistance with love and compassion and let go of doubt and fear as you trust yourself and the world.
“You have the path of staying the victim and being scared, and then you have the path of saying ‘yes’ to yourself and going after your dreams and desires,” Johnson says. “The path leading you to those doors is uncovered as you overcome and learn the lessons that each tough season brings you.”
