No, really. Let it go.

Would you micromanage your boss? Probably not. So why are you trying to micromanage the Creator of All That Is? What can you possibly do better than the Source of all life? God, the Universal Energy, the Great Divine Being. Whatever your name for the higher power that is at play, I’m fairly certain It/He/She is far more equipped to handle the details and work shit out.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself driving into a pretty nasty storm. Crazy lightning all around me, torrential downpours that made it difficult to see the road. Constant thunder, ominous clouds, the works. For the first time ever, I was scared to drive. I found myself praying, asking God to protect and watch over me and my car, and the other drivers on the road. And just like that, I heard a response. I got this. You just drive. Immediate peace and quiet in my heart. I let go of the fear, handing the situation over to Divine hands. And I stopped worrying about it.

That’s the part we too often forget. We pray, we ask for guidance or help, we meditate. And then we keep worrying. And trying to figure shit out on our own.

How’s that working for you??

When you go to a restaurant, you look over the menu, you pick your meal, and you place your order. Do you then follow the server back to the kitchen to make sure it’s placed correctly? Do you look over the chef’s shoulder to make sure it’s being prepared correctly? Do you try to jump in and plate it yourself? If so, remind me to never go out to eat with you. Or invite you over for dinner, for that matter.

No, when we place an order, we send it out there and trust that it will come back and we’ll have the food we wanted. We eat, we enjoy, we are filled. It’s a beautiful process. And it’s oh-so-natural. So natural, in fact, that it’s the exact way the Universe works. Place your order (pray, send up a request, wish on a star) and trust that it’s being taken care of — in the way that will work out BEST for you.

Still struggling with the idea of ACTUALLY letting go, and letting God do the behind-the-scenes work? Here’s a quick play-by-play of how this is supposed to go down.

1. Get really clear about what you want, and communicate it.

Find your own way of placing your order. Some pray, some meditate, some wish on dandelion fuzz. Some journal, some write poetry, some speak aloud. The method is far less important than the fact that you actually, intentionally do it. What do you want? What do you need? Talk about it to others, post it on Facebook, whatever you’re moved to do is great. (There’s really NO wrong way to do this. Honest.) Put it out there into the ether, and you’re on your way. Order placed.

2. Put some emotion into it.

This isn’t always necessary, but it sure helps speed things along. WHY do you want it? If you’re seeking a relationship, what is it that you want to feel? Focus on what you’re really after here — not the goal, but the way it will make you feel when you have it. For my storm example, I wanted to feel safe and protected.

3. Forget the how.

Not your job. You don’t get to decide how it shows up. Notice that I didn’t pray for the rain to stop, I just prayed to stay safe during the storm. You can’t dictate how it’s going to look, only God gets to do that. Why, you might ask? Simple. Going back to our restaurant, if you tell the chef that you absolutely MUST have your steak steamed, you miss out on the artistry of his grill skills, and your steak comes back bland and flat. Leave the details to the expert, my dear, and you’ll be amazed at how much you didn’t know you didn’t know!

4. Trust, and see.

That’s it. Just trust that your higher power has your very best interests in mind — because of course that’s true. Trust that your God sees the BIG PICTURE and knows what you really need in the grand scheme of things — because of course that’s true. Trust that whatever you get in reply to your prayer is going to set you up for exactly what you really need to grow and expand and be HAPPY on the journey — because of course that’s true. Watch for all the signs and messages and signals you get in response to what you sent out, because they’re all around you. Synchronicities and “coincidences” and nudges. Be open to it all — you never know the how, so it may surprise you.

5. Be filled with gratitude.

What’s the end of this equation? The “thank you,” of course! When you receive, always give thanks back. It perpetuates the flow of love, it increases endorphins, it does all sorts of warm-and-fuzzy things to your soul. When you are grateful, you send the message back, “Yes, thank you! MORE, please!” (In fact, that simple declaration can be your gratitude statement — try it out, say it aloud next time you receive something.) The Universe then rushes to bring you MORE of that feeling. Which, let’s face it, is freaking awesome.

That’s really all there is to it. The key to the whole process is the letting go. Don’t try to tell God how to do his job. I’m pretty sure you’re far less qualified to do it. Next time you find yourself worrying about something — money, work, love, kids — hand it over to God and let him work it out for you. “I have my car payment coming up next week, and the money’s not in my account right now. I need your help filling that, please.” Then be done with it. No more worrying and stressing, just be open to receiving whatever is sent your way. A bank error that advances your due date a month? Okay! An unexpected raise at work? I’ll take it! A client with a very short-term project, or a family member repaying a debt. You can’t predict where it will come from, but you can be prepared to receive it. Trust that God will find a way to make this okay.

What are you worrying about right now? How can you hand it over to God and let go? How does it feel to think that you can stop worrying about it, because it’s being taken care of?

xo,