You Are Okay. Nothing Is Wrong. (Do You See?)
Introduction
About acceptance: Recognise and be with what IS, then transform your life. Simple, really. Other than the small fact that we’re trained from early age to do the exact opposite. Thankfully, there is a an antidote – the Inside Out understanding, as I will try and explain in the next 400 words or so…
About Acceptance (And You!)
Of course there is no formula for success, except perhaps an unconditional acceptance of life, and what it brings.
– Arthur Rubinstein
What Is Acceptance?
Simply put it’s a state of being able to recognise what IS and to be OKAY with it.
Even if what you’re recognising to BE is anger, grief, humiliation – this is how you’re feeling, so you simply acknowledge it.
Again, you could be feeling that you DON’T WANT TO FEEL ANGRY, for example, or grief-stricken or humliated – then, you acknowledge that that is what you’re feeling.
There is never a time that cannot be acknowledged, recognised, and accepted, never.
And suffering (not pain) comes from not understanding the power of accepting things as they are.
- So acceptance is NOT SUFFERING.
- Acceptance is AWARENESS OF WHAT IS.
- Acceptance doesn’t require ‘should’ whatsoever.
Nothing is wrong in the world of ‘acceptance’, nothing needs fixing. But it’s still okay to decide to make changes, to improve things, from the place of ‘this is how it is right now, and this is how I’d like it to be’.
About Acceptance: Why is it Useful?
Well, I think not suffering is quite a useful ‘hobby’ to undertake, for one thing.
I think being able to see things for what they are is, again, a mighty powerful way to see the world, to see yourself.
I think fear-based actions – those that come from not accepting things, from resisting what is – are often much less potent, less healthy, than the inspirational love-based actions that come from the quietness within (a quietness that is much easier to hear, for sure, with acceptance).
When you can recognise what IS, and you’re able to be with it any which way you can, then this transforms your experience of life, your experience of yourself.
About Acceptance – You versus The World
Yes, if the world “should be different”, or if you do not accept the world out there, then in reality you do not accept the world inside you.
For acceptance is definitely an exercise in Inside Out understanding, in knowing that humans (like you, like all of us) experience life from the inside out.
So this acceptance I talk about really is about accepting you, warts and all.
You are a flawed human being, it has to be said. And I don’t mean to be rude, but if you’re human then you’re flawed. But once you recognise and accept those flaws then you’ve become a loving gift to all human kind, you really have.
Once the world ‘inside’ is okay, the world ‘outside’ becomes okay, too – just WHAT IT IS, in each moment.
Yes, acceptance really is that important – a direct measure of how present to this moment you can be.
About Acceptance – 3 Minute Heroes Video
Here’s what came to me as I shared my thoughts about Acceptance during a 3 Minute Heroes video I recorded in December, 2014:
A Coaching Conversation Might Help
Reading blog posts is good. Watching videos is good, too. But sometimes having a meaningful conversation about the issue you're experiencing is best. To experience a transformative coaching conversation where you get to ask YOUR questions, and to experience YOUR insights. Well, I can help you with that...