The power and peace of acceptance
Today’s invitation is to reflect on the power of ACCEPTANCE, and the peaceful embodied state this creates.
Let go of the illusion things could have been any different.
It is what it is.
When you realise that things are exactly as they should be, you can lead from an empowered place. You are not fighting your circumstances, yourself or the people around you. From acceptance you build connection with full awareness of the reality of the present moment. Embracing acceptance will allow you to FLOW with ease and optimism, seeing opportunities and finding solutions.
Acceptance also invites peace. When you are in friction with your reality, you are fighting against a strong current that will eventually sweep you off your feet in overwhelm. You do not have to battle the current. Acceptance will bring you contentment, serenity and the compassion, presence and grounding to enjoy the ride. Ride that wave train!
The challenge for you to is think of 5 things that you can RADICALLY accept, right now.
What is acceptance?
The willingness to tolerate a difficult situation (a CHOICE)
Acceptance means you don’t struggle against something – we don’t resist or reject what is happening.
Acceptance does not mean liking, wanting, choosing, or supporting a situation– or accepting that it will be the same forever. You can keep moving towards change.
You choose to allow it to be there, when you cannot change in the moment.
Acceptance can be cultivated and is a practice. You can practice it in all aspects of life; relationships with others, the opinions of others, your emotions, your health, your thoughts, global events outside your control
Often in order to heal and be happy, we have to accept what has happened
Acceptance can be difficult
As we’ve now learnt, acceptance can be cultivated as a practice. Below explores 5 ways to cultivate this in your moment-by-moment experience.
5 practices to increase and implement acceptance in your life:
Use the acceptance mantra/ intention
Whenever you need anchoring to the reality of the moment use the acceptance mantra/ intention. Radically accept who, where, what, how you are and it is:
“I accept everything as it is, in this moment. In acceptance I am at peace. In acceptance I honour the beauty of this moment and the opportunity for learning and expansion”
2. Challenge negative thinking patterns.
Thought regulation is so important to give us the spacious awareness we need to make empowered decisions and act. If you find yourself caught in a negative loop, start by accepting that you are having the unhelpful thinking in the first place, then explore what more helpful ways you can view the situation.
3. Have awareness of your emotions
Acceptance helps us stay calm, lowers anxiety. When you are unwilling to accept a situation, what is happening in your emotional world? Turmoil? Anxiety? Sadness? Anger? Fear? There are complex emotions associated with being unwilling to accept ourselves and our circumstances. Cultivating intentional states of acceptance allows us to access peaceful, calm emotions. Use your emotions as a guide. If you notice you are starting to feel intense unhelpful emotions like anxiety over a situation, take a few deep breaths to create space, then explore what you are feeling, what triggered this and invite acceptance. Do the same for when you are practicing acceptance; what do you notice in your emotional state?
4. View your situations as not totally ‘negative’
Choose not to judge situations as totally negative; winter is always followed by spring. Our circumstances are never black and white, but often our thoughts and beliefs about situations are. Remind yourself to look at the growth opportunities, as well as what you are learning from the situation.
5. Practice mindfulness and meditation.
Mindfulness and meditation allow us the spacious awareness we need to cultivate presence, peace, objectivity and optimism in our situations. We remain in the moment; not governed by our future or past, and realise the present moment is all we ever have. Accept this and be set free.
Self-reflection questions:
What am I currently not accepting in my life? How can I practice acceptance for peace and power?
What 5 things can I radically accept right now? (no attachment, no judgement).
How can I practice thought and emotion regulation to further cultivate and embrace acceptance?
What will I commit to doing today that supports me in taking action and making decisions from acceptance in my moment-by-moment thinking?
What have I learnt from this lesson on acceptance that I will seek more information on?
In acceptance you are powerful. In acceptance you are in peace.
CHOOSE acceptance.
