Acceptance Is The Key

Understanding Acceptance

Life is imperfect, and no one can escape the adversity, disappointment, or suffering that comes with being human. Despite this, most of us resist this fact by expending a lot of energy fighting against what we can’t control, causing us to experience more mental anguish. This non-acceptance has negative consequences such as amplified distress, wasted effort, and lost opportunities.

However, there is another approach we can take, and that is acceptance. Acceptance means embracing life’s difficulties with clarity and without deluded positive thinking. It involves relaxing into realities that cannot or should not be changed and releasing the need to protest or fix them. Acceptance enables us to adapt and adjust, grieve what we have lost, and then direct our energy towards what we can influence.

One common misconception is that acceptance means approval, resignation, or inaction. However, practicing radical acceptance can reduce suffering by ending the futile battle with reality. It requires adopting mindful allowing, giving up destructive resistance, and learning alternative coping behaviors. By doing this, we free up the energy we once wasted on trying to bend life to our will and instead use it to engage in meaningful goals. This helps us attain equanimity.