The Serenity Prayer helps me align with the flow of the day’s unfolding events. I say the Prayer’s poetic phrases* first thing upon awakening each morning, which allows me to be more fully aware, from the very start of my day, of the vast number of things I cannot control or change, and be reminded that my very serenity depends on my willingness to accept them as they are.
The simple truth is, to align with the flow, you need to accept the flow, whether good, bad, or somewhere in between, and the Serenity Prayer fosters that.
I find the Prayer most helpful when I apply it to the specific issues or matters that may concern me at the time. It may be a business or financial matter I’m struggling with or a divisive issue with someone. Being specific allows me to hone in on which things (about the person or situation) I am able to influence or change and which ones I am not.
And even if I feel I can have some impact on the matter or person, I still try to consider whether any success is worth the cost and energy—and anxiety.
Thus, in uncertain or unknown situations, I find it helpful to ask myself “Can I have any meaningful impact on the person or situation?” If I don’t think I can, I try to accept the situation or circumstance as it is and focus on what is within my power to do or change that will bring me greater serenity.
I write more about the benefits and application of the Serenity Prayer in “My Personal Prayer for Acceptance” and “Optimizing the Benefits of the Serenity Prayer.”
In the meantime,
Let It Go—and Accept “What Is.”
Danny
*“God, Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Change, Courage to Change the Things I Can, and the Wisdom to Know the Difference.”
**In my forthcoming book, The Way of the Wave: Nature’s Model for Navigating Life’s Currents, I share other practices and mindsets that impact our ability to align with the flow of our life currents. The eBook version will be available at a special pre-order price of only $2.99. You can learn more here
***If you enjoyed this post, please “like” it on your Facebook page and share it with your friends.