Lately I’d been musing—agonizing—over the the practice of surrender in the context of habit formation. 

On one hand, there’s the practice of setting intentions, a North Star when it comes to creating a new habit. Your why is one of the most important things when it comes to forming and sustaining a new habit. There’s a sense that with your why, it sustains your willpower and discipline to keep going, even in times of struggle. Of course, if you set up the habit system well, you shouldn’t need to tap on that much willpower starting off. But definitely, there’s a moment of where one musters up some will to act, to just do it. There’s a sense of being unwavering, determined and resolute.

On the other hand, there’s surrender. About trying hard humbly and not letting the ego over-inflate its own sense of self-importance and start driving things; about having faith that things will work out in times of struggle; about seeing the signs and flowing with the universe. Sometimes when I have to try too hard, and nothing moves yet I suffer from trying too hard (e.g. health wise), I wonder if it’s a sign from the universe that I’m doing it wrongly. Be impatient with actions but patient with results, they say. Trust that the universe will provide. Surrender. Part of me wants to let go of my childish tantrums and fears and lean into that surrender. Most days I fail at doing that, because setting goals, making intentions and mustering willpower to keep to a habit seems to be in conflict with letting go.

How does one let go and surrender to things, yet still try? How does trying even make sense in the context of surrender? What place does surrender have in the context of having a goal to achieve? How can I do both in harmony, in sync, in as authentic a way as possible?

I don’t know the answer. Through this post, I’m just writing to clarify my own thoughts, to myself, for myself.

Please do share your point of view though, if you have one. I’d love to muse on them, as inspiration as I work on mine.