The Countdown – Day 19: The Power of Acceptance

We are often told by personal growth writers that we have two options in life: We can either cultivate a burning desire to pursue the life we want (but don’t have), or accept our life as it is.

If you belong to the first camp, then you deserve admiration. And if you belong to the second, you deserve pity.

But there’s an important connection between the two that tends to go unnoticed.

Before I explain the connection, let me ask a question: What do you believe is the source of your frustration?

Would you blame the problems you’re facing in life? The poverty and violence in the world? The corruption of politicians? Your job? Your financial situation? Your spouse? The people around you? Your health? How you look?

There are many things in our lives that can make us feel frustrated or depressed, but there’s a common theme that underlies all these factors: We reject reality for what it is.

We want things to be different, and don’t accept them as they are.

There’s a subtle point here. You don’t want to accept things as they are and leave them the way they are, but you do need to accept things for what they are.

Have you ever caught yourself saying (or thinking): “This is NOT happening to me!”

That’s a very revealing statement that, well… reveals the source of our frustrations.

We reject facts. We reject circumstances. We reject human nature. We reject natural laws.

We want things to be different. To behave differently. To respond differently.

We want things to go as planned. The way we want them to go. Without any surprises or glitches.

And when we don’t get what we want. When the universe doesn’t obey our wishes. We get angry and feel frustrated.

Because the world isn’t what we want it to be.

Acceptance isn’t an alternative to change, but the foundation for change.

In order to change your life, you must first accept that your life is what it is today. Don’t judge it according to your expectations and wishes. Evaluating a situation must come after accepting that the situation is what it is.

Once you accept facts as facts and develop the willingness to stare reality in the face, you can then plan how you will move your life in the direction you want.

The wonderful thing about acceptance is that it creates a healthy emotional environment that sets the stage for personal transformation. You won’t be living in denial or escaping from your problems so you can protect the imaginary world you prefer to live in.

Think about your life and the “problem areas” you feel like looking away from and accept them as facts.

Admit the mistakes you’ve made in your past and recognize them as mistakes.

Without judgment or thought of what should be done. Before you take any action to bring about change, you must first accept reality for what it is.

Accept your limitations. Your circumstances. Your past. Your present. The people around you. The politics of your country. Anything that’s annoying you and tugging at your attention.

Accept the facts for being facts.

Through acceptance, you will experience profound changes in your life.