Practicing The Serenity Prayer
Do you feel overwhelmed? Does it seem like the weight of the world is on your shoulders? Like everything depends on you? Like you have too many irons in the fire?
If so, you’re not alone. Many of us have been there—I know I have. Life’s demands can feel relentless, leaving us flooded and incapable of keeping up. While there’s no shame in feeling this way, it may be a sign that you’re carrying more in your mind than you need to. You might benefit from practicing surrender.
Surrender is, at its core, a spiritual practice—letting go of what we cannot control while still taking responsibility for what we can. The challenge? It’s not always easy to discern which is which. That’s where the Serenity Prayer becomes a powerful tool:
"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference."
When it comes to recovery, I often return to the adage: “The opposite of addiction is connection.” Addiction isolates us, offering temporary relief from loneliness. But when we refuse to admit we need help—when we resist surrender—we take on too much responsibility and eventually collapse under the weight of it all. Surrender is essential because it protects against isolation and fosters connection.
Prayer itself is a connection practice—between you, others, and God. And true, loving connection is what heals us.
Over the next several weeks, we’ll explore the Serenity Prayer in these Transformation Tips emails. In the meantime, I invite you to try using the Serenity Prayer as a practice. You don’t have to fully believe in it or trust it—just try it.
As you reflect on the Serenity Prayer, ask yourself:
What about it brings me comfort?
What about it challenges me?
Here’s to cultivating more serenity.
Happy to be in your corner,
Tom Page, LCPC
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