Acceptance is the 5th attitude of mindfulness. This is a very misunderstood word. When most people think of acceptance, they think they have to agree to or like something. Or that they should be passive and “just let it happen.” This is not what acceptance in mindfulness means.
So what does it mean?
Acceptance means seeing something exactly for what it is. It’s not about your interpretation, or what you think something “should” or “shouldn’t” be like. It is what is in the moment, seeing it clearly and completely.
This is not easy to do. With acceptance, you don’t deny or fight with what is happening. And this may require feeling difficult feelings, such as sadness, anger, or fear. It also doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to a situation. Think about it, wouldn’t you have to see something truthfully for what it is before you could even make the best request or change? As Jeffrey Brantley states in his book, Calming Your Anxious Mind, acceptance “sets the stage for acting in the most potent and healthy way in your life, no matter what is happening.”
So think about this approach to acceptance. Let it be a quiet opening in your heart as you face a situation that is challenging. See if you can get in touch with a deeper part of you that can guide your response. Not only will you stay calmer, you might actually find yourself making wiser decisions.
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