Episode 733: Loosen Your Grip – How to Trust the Process When Nothing’s Working (Mindset & Self-Care)

EBT733 – Loosen Your Grip: How to Trust the Process When Nothing’s Working

Intro  00:01

Hey food bloggers. Thank you so much for joining me in this mindset and self-care focused episode here on Eat Blog Talk. One of the reasons I started a blog talk was to hold a space to talk about the importance of mindset and self-care. Being an entrepreneur can be a lot. If we are not taking care of ourselves, then getting actionable information about SEO Pinterest or whatever else is all moot. I will meet you back here every Wednesday to discuss various mindset and self-care topics. So you have the energy and space to tackle the rest.

[00:00:33]   

Hello. How are you today? I’m so happy you’re here again. Thank you for showing up for all the Eat Blog Talk episodes, but especially these fun mindset episodes that I love doing so much. So happy to have you here. In this episode we’re going to talk about that concept of loosening your grip and just how to lean in to trust. Trusting the process when it seems like nothing else is working. If you feel like you’re in a season where you’re doing all the things right, you’re strategizing, you’re showing up, you’re checking the boxes, you’re staying on top of your lists, you are staying open minded and open to new opportunities, but it still feels like you’re waiting or like things just aren’t working.

[00:01:22]   

This episode is for you. Recently, we’ve been navigating just a wave of uncertainty with one of our sons and some medical things he’s going through. A while ago, this has been weeks now, I was finding myself just being obsessed over this situation. I was watching him like a hawk. I was overanalyzing everything he said, everything he did that was off.

[00:01:56]   

I was constantly bracing myself for something that was coming that never came. It was crazy. One night I was standing outside the bathroom and I thought I heard him fall. It was only his phone, but it sent me into this wild mental panic. I got in bed and had a little talk with myself.

[00:02:22]   

I couldn’t do it anymore. I just said to me, this has got to stop. I’ve got to stop obsessing and feeling like I was in control because I was not. I was doing everything I possibly could do as his mom and had to release the rest because the rest was not up to me.

[00:02:47]   

So in bed I just made this decision. I’m going to loosen my grip. And I did. I felt the shift when I said it. I released the situation to something greater than myself. That night, a few hours later, I had one of the most beautiful dreams I’ve ever had. In my life. It was a divine confirmation that Sammy was okay, he would continue to be okay, and that letting go like I’d done was exactly what I needed to do.

[00:03:18]   

It was the perfect move. As humans, we cling. We cling to so many things. Spreadsheets to do, lists, timelines, calendars, schedules, and overthinking. Because all of those things feel like control. But in reality, those things are more like costumes for fear. Here’s something I’ve been practicing lately. When I notice myself gripping tightly on something that I am not in control of, I pause.

[00:03:54]   

I look down at my hands as if they’re holding a steering wheel. So I pretend I’m actually holding the steering wheel. If you’re on YouTube, you can see me driving here. I imagine my knuckles clenched so tight and white, trying to steer whatever outcome it is. That is not mine to steer. This car is not my car to drive.

[00:04:17]   

Then I let go. I open my hands physically, and I imagine them ready to receive. So instead of this, I go like this. Because the truth is this. If you are gripping the wheel with both hands, you can’t catch the miracle that wants to come to you. When your palms are open, guidance flows in.

[00:04:42]   

Answers flow in. Insights flow in. All the good things flow in. When you’re like this, they can’t flow in. Here’s a little whisper I’ve been saying to myself for the past few weeks. It’s such a good reminder. The moment you stop clutching, your hands are finally open. And the moment your hands are open, the blessings come rushing in.

[00:05:05]   

Letting go of the steering wheel doesn’t mean giving up. It doesn’t mean that you stop caring or showing up or doing your part as a mom or a coworker or a friend or a human. It simply means that you take inspired action. You do what you need to do, what feels aligned, that it is actually in your control.

[00:05:28]   

And then you let the universe or God or your higher power handle the choreography of it. Surrender is not passive. It is deep, active trust. It is continuing to walk out your path with open hands instead of those clenched fists. And here’s the crazy part that I’ve found in my older age. Surrender often unlocks the very outcome you were striving for because you’ve stepped out of the way long enough for life to rearrange itself on your behalf.

[00:06:03]   

I love that line. I’m going to say it again. Surrender often unlocks the very outcome you are striving for because you’ve stepped out of the way long enough for life to rearrange itself on your behalf. So here’s a question for you. Where in your life are you white knuckling something that actually wants to unfold naturally?

[00:06:25]   

I’ve put together three simple little tools that you can return to anytime you feel like you are gripping the steering wheel too tightly and you need to let go. The first is a balloon visualization. Imagine you’re placing whatever worry you’re holding or desire or outcome into a balloon and you’re just letting it float away.

[00:06:51]   

If the balloon visualization doesn’t align, you could think of a shelf. I’ve done this before as well, where you place that worry or desire outcome on a shelf and you just walk away from it. Let the balloon float away or let the worry be on the shelf. And that is where the divine timing and divine details take place.

[00:07:13]   

The second one is a trust archive. I love this one because it encourages you to have trust in yourself and in historical data that is your life. Write down some moments in your life when you have let go of something and then life showed up for you. Then allow these situations to be anchors for future seasons of surrender.

[00:07:42]   

The third is just to pause and take a deep breath once a day or however often you feel aligned to do this. Just stop and breathe and say aloud to yourself, I release this. It is handled. Then relax your whole body, exhale and repeat as needed to end this episode. I put together an affirmation that hopefully helps you with all of this.

[00:08:14]   

I trust that what is meant for me cannot miss me. I surrender the how and I make space for miracles. If you want to journal about this, here are a couple prompts for you. What am I still trying to control that is not mine to carry? And what would it feel like to trust deeply right here, right now?

[00:08:38]   

And my message to you as we close is that you have already done enough. Now open your hands and allow those blessings to pour into your life. I hope you love this episode as much as I loved recording it and talking about this topic and I’d love to hear from you. Reach out [email protected] and just say hi or let me know what you’re thinking of these mindset episodes.And don’t forget to come watch over on YouTube. Have a wonderful week. Let go of those things you don’t need to hold on to anymore and I’ll see you back here next week.

Outro 

Thank you so much for listening to this mindset and self care episode. These mindset episodes are now available on YouTube, so watch it over there. Search Eat Blog Talk on YouTube and we’ll see you there.