I used to have a lot of trouble with “acceptance”.
I think it is because my mother raised me to be a “problem solver”. We don’t give up.
It took me a long time to understand that “acceptance” has nothing to do with giving up. When we accept we live in harmony with “what is”.
Can we be dissatisfied with what is? Certainly. But best not to hold onto that in the present moment. A simple example.
Maybe I have a broken foot and must walk around in a cast for the next 6 weeks. Well that sucks.
But what would be worse is if I let my mind keep thinking “this sucks” for the entire 6 weeks. Right?
I have this cast on and the doctors tell me 6 weeks. There is nothing I can do about it. So I accept it. I stop my mind from going back to “this sucks”.
Maybe I start having people sign my cast, including creative artists adding some pretty impressive original art. This might help make the cast and the whole broken leg experience a “fun” talking point when I engage with others. Yes, I still have the thing on and use crutches, but I focus a lot less on “this sucks” and more on “I can live with this”.
I can even allow myself to count the days until “cast off” but not regularly. When I look at the calendar and might see the big red X showing the picture of a ship leaving harbor with the words “CAST OFF” and then I allow myself to think about it. Otherwise, living with the cast becomes part of my daily existence – which I accept. And it’s okay.
#acceptance #tolerate #embrace #suffer
