Acceptance Skill

Have you ever struggled with something that is completely outside of you control, yet it continues to cause you stress time-and-time again?  Maybe it is your sister’s selfishness, your brother’s inability to listen to reason, your parents’ “old school” way of thinking, your coworker’s bad attitude, etc.  You find yourself worrying about these things, they cause you distress, yet there is nothing you can do to change your coworker, your sister, your brother, or your parents’ way of being or way of thinking.  I invite you to practice the skill called acceptance.

Acceptance does not mean that you condone, approve, or are ok with these peoples’ behaviors, it simply means that you are no longer going to fight it.  It means that you have chosen to make room for this discomfort, because it is completely outside of your control.  Acceptance means that you have chosen to no longer fight against what is causing you stress, and are choosing rather to continue to live your life regardless; because that it 100% within your control. 

When we achieve acceptance properly, it means that we have opened our minds to be more willing to allow and accept distress when it comes into our lives; and as a result, we are less stressed out overall.  Now, acceptance takes practice and patience and consistency.  Think about acceptance as riding the wave, you are choosing to ride with the wave instead of swimming against its currant.  And trust me, that is a smoother ride to be on!

I challenge you to make a list of your stressors, decide which ones are completely outside of your control, and try practicing acceptance with these stressors.  Let me know how it goes via email or insta comment.  YOU GOT THIS!!