When Pushing No Longer Works: Relax & Let Go

Learn to trust your own voice.

When Effort Stops Creating Results

Many years ago, when I had just started my business, I found myself at a dead end.

I had discovered what I loved doing, but the money wasn’t following. In fact, the harder I pushed, the further it seemed to slip away.

At the time I had lost my job, I was broke, and I had two small children to take care of. I told myself that losing my job might actually be a blessing. Now I could dedicate myself to my passion completely.

So I worked harder.

I made countless cold calls every day, trying to make something happen. But nothing worked. The more effort I put in, the more desperate I felt.

Something was missing.

At the time, I didn’t know what it was.

The Moment I Chose to Stop Pushing

Then one day, I stopped trying.

Instead of forcing things, I decided to only do what felt natural and easy. My thinking was simple:

If working hard all day wasn’t producing results, I might as well enjoy failing.

What followed surprised me.

Following What Felt Natural

First, I slept. A lot. If I felt tired, I stayed in bed.

Then I watched movies—films I had wanted to see for years. While others went to work, I spent time in coffee shops, enjoying the moment and observing people.

I followed the flow.

And honestly, it felt uncomfortable at first. Even wrong.

There was a voice in my head saying: This isn’t how life works.

But there was another voice too—quieter, yet determined. A part of me wanted to live differently.

What Happened When I Let Go

After a while, something unexpected happened.

I realized the world wasn’t collapsing.

Nothing terrible happened.

And suddenly I relaxed.

The constant pressure disappeared—the fear of failing, the fear of not failing, the fear of losing control. It all softened.

For the first time, life felt open again.

I became curious.

How did I really want to live?

What kind of work did I actually want to do?

I knew I loved working with people. But did that mean making endless cold calls? Did I want to build a big, demanding business—or something simpler and more aligned with who I was?

Everything suddenly felt possible.

Learning to Trust Myself

Looking back, I realize that during those weeks I learned something essential:

I learned to trust myself.

I discovered my own timing. My own rhythm. I began to move with life instead of pushing against it.

I became the conductor of my own music.

At first, letting go of old habits felt uncomfortable. Really uncomfortable. But over time, it became easier. I noticed which activities energized me and which drained me.

Instead of listening only to my head, I started listening to my heart.

Life Began to Flow Again

And something fascinating happened.

Life became lighter.

Instead of making 100 calls to get two appointments, I made 20 calls and got five.

Money began to flow again—with far less effort than before.

I stopped forcing life and started cooperating with it.

I surrendered to my own rhythm—and found my bliss.

Take a breath.
Slow down.
Listen.

Tune into your inner voice and be with it. What does it want you to hear? Where are you not listening? Instead of pushing so hard, allow yourself to receive.

When you feel rushed, pause. Breathe. Return to your rhythm.

You may discover something wonderful:

Being your true self is effortless.

Have you ever followed your own inner voice?

What happened when you trusted it?

I would love to hear from you. Feel free to write to me and share your story.

As always, thank you for reading.

Karin

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2021 and has been updated with additional insights and exercises.