It seems like every day I am faced with unexpected situations and occurrences that need accepting. Most are relatively minor disturbances, really, such as home delivery or installation times being changed at the last minute, a computer glitch or loss of Internet service when I am working to meet a deadline, or a driver cutting in front of me on the freeway without warning.
In such situations, if I forget that life is not governed by my desires and expectations—which I am still prone to do—I can easily get flustered, frustrated—and sometimes angry–until I remind myself that such annoyances are beyond my control, and that the best thing for my mental well-being is to accept “what is.”
I say this because even after having written a best-selling, award winning book on acceptance, practicing acceptance remains an ongoing, everyday challenge for me. It requires my constant awareness whether I am controlling; knowing when I am powerless over changing people and situations; not being judgmental and smug; and not taking the disturbing words and actions of others too personally.
(The acceptance stories I share in my posts and in The Gifts of Acceptance offer guidance in dealing with challenging acceptance situations that many of us regularly encounter.)
I am comforted that acceptance becomes easier and more natural with continued practice that changes our mental muscle memory—those deeply ingrained patterns and attitudes of judging, denying, resisting, expecting, and controlling.
Even incremental steps and partial successes in practicing acceptance make our lives easier. And while practice may not make perfect, it does lead to improvement.
We all have our acceptance experiences—good and bad–and we can help and learn from one another by sharing them. I hope you will consider sharing your acceptance stories with me and others this year at www.danielamiller.com.
In closing, like many, I am troubled by the divisiveness that confronts us as we enter 2022. I strongly believe we need to practice acceptance more than ever. I invite you to read “Acceptance Conversations as Peacemakers.”
In the meantime, remember to
Let It Go—and Accept “What Is!”
Danny
*You can read an excerpt of the new book I am writing, The Way of The Wave: Nature’s Model for Navigating Life’s Currents, here!
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