Relinquishing Control

“Believe there is a great power silently working all things for good, behave yourself and never mind the rest.” - Beatrix Potter

Have you ever felt as though you aren’t in control of a situation? That no matter how hard you try or how much effort you put forth, you feel as though you are swimming against the stream? Think about the moments in your life when this has been the case. When you’re put in this quandary, how do you react? Do you fight it, or do you let it flow? What are the results?

We love this sweet and simple quote by Beatrix Potter because it’s the perfect tidbit of advice for when we’re facing such adversity. Sometimes, instead of trying to overpower and control a situation, to demand that it go our way, we should sit back, relax and trust the outcome.

For the truth is, when we allow life to flow, when we trust this “great power,” things happen just as they should. We meet certain people, we have certain experiences, we learn certain things, and it can lead us to a place that’s even more wonderful than what we initially envisioned for ourselves. All we have, as Beatrix Potter suggests, is power over ourselves. We have the power to behave ourselves, and to mange our reactions to what occurs, but the rest - whether we like it or not - is out of our hands and beyond our control.

Today, before you set your intentions, ask yourself if such a lack of control in the greater scheme of life is comforting or stressful to you. What intentions can you set to remind you to sit back, relax and trust?