Success is in Surrender: Four Ways to Let the Universe Help You

Standing in the closet putting my clothes away, I spoke on the phone to a dear friend and fellow conscious leader. Of course, I was multi-tasking, like I’ve learned to do as a mother, partner, dreamer and doer. While I folded clothes, he showered me with support and praise for seeing my dreams and hard work pay off. It was really wonderful to hear his genuine enthusiasm and encouragement for what is transpiring with my life and manifestations with Plenty.

I heard myself say, “I’ve learned that the art of success is about letting go and surrendering. Its opposite of what we’ve been taught. I’ve learned that if I rest my faith in the Universe to bring me the people, the conversations, the in-sights, and the solutions, rather than push to find them, they come. And they are always perfect and more fitting than I could have imagined myself.”

It's a lesson that I've learned to practice again and again over the my time at Plenty – one so deeply life-changing that we just wrote our first book, Leading With Light, about the power of surrendering to the flow of the universe through awareness, alignment, and intention. 

But this wasn’t always the way I worked. I spent almost a decade climbing the corporate ladder as an executive at a Fortune 500 company. In doing so, I learned and practiced the opposite. I pushed, strived, proved, and drove myself and others to build, grow, and accomplish. I carried this orientation into all of my businesses and entrepreneurial efforts, pushing the boulder up the steep mountain – leaving me feeling fatigued, depleted, and exhausted. I put value in being a "yes" person. My default orientation to give to everyone else before myself was on an all-time automatic high.

And, over time, that mode of operating began to run its toll. My adrenals were taxed from the high cortisol levels I was producing – unconsciously fooling my body into thinking it had to be in the “fight or flight” response all the time. My sleep patterns were constantly interrupted from my little babes who would awake in the night and crawl into bed with me – resulting in repeated nights of insomnia. I felt like I was on the hamster wheel. My drive for change and my commitment to make a massive positive difference in the world was becoming unsustainable. 

Thankfully, something major changed. I had an awakening moment, an “aha”, that left me loosening my grip. I began to let go. My state of being shifted from striving to surrender and everything began to fall into place.

A series of events, cleanses, and spiritual retreats during the spring of 2015 invited me to lean into a new way of operating. I chose to stop trying so hard and noticed that when I did, I relaxed. I began to rest in deeper faith that I was held by something greater than myself. I placed more focus on noticing the synchronicities all around me that guided my way. I loosened my grip and practiced surrendering to the mysterious force that seemed to be ever present guiding my next step. I learned to fill up my own tank, connecting to what brings me joy and being more ok when I had a low mood moment or day. I learned to not take myself (or my thoughts) so seriously. I learned to put more trust in the Divine Intelligence / Universe (whatever you name it to be). I witnessed the perfection and personalization of this force - giving me the answers I needed, the people to meet, and the clues to take the next step. The results have been and continue to be mind-blowing and miraculous. 

This is what Jeff Shuck, my business partner/co-leader-co-Principal, and I have been practicing ever since we re-united and merged paths, visions, and businesses. It has been the key to our partnership, co-leadership, growth, and learning. We help each other loosen our grip. We help each other notice the signs. We help each other surrender. And, this is what we now teach during our retreats, consulting engagements and executive coaching for conscious leaders and companies around the world.

Here are four keys to opening yourself up to the help all around you:

1. Trust in the Divine’s Goodness

Seriously, rest your faith in the higher intelligence that is helping you become the person you are meant to be. Just look back in your past— can you see that everything you have gone through, experienced, and learned has prepared you for today? Can you see how you have become the unique being that you are because of your unique experiences? Can you see the gifts in the hard and happy times? I hope you can.

To help you do this, we've included practice points, reflections, and more in our new book.  

2. Loosen Your Grip

Whatever you are holding onto tightly, whatever is gripping you and causing you to tighten— let it go. Just try it. Give it up, turn it over, and surrender it. Ask for help from your friends, colleagues, God, angels, ascended masters, ancestors, guides, nature, the Universe, whatever and whomever feels right to you. You are not meant to walk this path alone, simply because you are not alone.

3. Show Up to What Shows Up

Notice what is in your field of awareness and activity. Like attract likes. Vibrational frequency matches each other. Who calls you? Who do you think of? What signs do you see around? They are clues to help you on your path. Notice and follow them. They will help you take the next step, that will lead you to the next step and before you know it, the doors will open and your mountain will be summited.

4. Take Action

The Universe can open the door but you need to walk through it. Noticing the signs is one thing— acting on them is another. We have bodies for a reason: to act and do. This is one of the greatest blessings we have been given. Use your intellect, intuition, and body to bring forth your vision, desire, or idea. The world needs your passion and action more than ever. Humanity needs your unique talents to bring what's in your heart into form. (Don't know where to start? Our book includes a number of exercises to help you figure that out.)

The key to success is in letting go, releasing our grip, and surrendering our need to figure everything out ourselves. The key is to turn our attention to what IS working, to notice the synchronicities and not write them off as some happenstance. When we re-orient our focus to the signs, signals, and synchronicities that abound, we will witness a new state of flow and co-creation with the Universe that is escorting us towards our better selves. Look for the flow. Follow the path of least resistance. Tune in here to orient your focus on the beauty all around and the beauty that IS you. 

This post was revised, expanded, and updated in January 2024 from material originally published in June 2016.