by Emilie Glen Colsted

Acceptance

Sometimes it can feel like everything is working against us and there is little we can do to stop it. In these moments it is important to remember that while there may be a lot of factors in our daily lives that are beyond our control, we still can choose how to act.

Practising acceptance and patience is still within our reach.

Acceptance and patience are not just virtuous words, but helpful responses to the things we can’t control - like our car breaking down. There is more to this mindset than making lemonade out of lemons while singing “Hakuna Matata”. Adopting this way of thinking does not mean you should give up and tolerate unreasonably difficult obstacles. It also doesn’t mean you should try to like the stressful situation you are in.

In other words, acceptance does not necessarily mean that we like, want, or prefer something.

Instead, acceptance is defined by Jon Kabat-Zinn, the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), as "seeing things as they actually are in the present".

The benefit of this approach simply lies in actively recognizing whatever is going on at that very moment. This simple trick can help us in situations of stress and anxiety by letting go of mental resistance and energy spent on trying to force something that can't be forced.

Ironically enough, a great way to regain more control and empowerment in our lives is to acknowledge what we are able to control and what we are not.

If you want an expanded overview of how this approach work, then try the tool: Acceptance