Surrender and Embrace. Creating Hope Within Adversity.

Anecdotal maybe, but what I have observed over the last 12 months is those who have been most successful in this pandemic are those who have surrendered to reality and embraced the situation.

Or, to put it another way, they stopped resisting or ‘wishing it to be different’. Cliche maybe, but adopting ‘it is what it is’. Not good, not bad, it just is.

This applies to people and organisations. Those who surrendered first, adapted first, were at peace first.

It brought to mind a classic scene from Band of Brothers when Lieutenant Ronald Spiers explains  accepting reality against false hope:

“The only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier…”

Its Not The Situation – its the Response. (Reference Viktor Frankl – Mans Search for Meaning)

No matter how hard we try we cannot control everything that happens to us in business, careers, relationships, life. What we can control however, are our responses to what happens.

Response is what counts in the long run.  We always have a choice in how we decide to respond.  

It may not be true that you are someway responsible for everything in your life.  However, holding that view, gives you the power to change your situation, feelings and ultimately your destiny.

The alternative? Putting the possibility of change outside of you (i.e. blaming others or circumstances), giving your power away and being power – less. A choice.