Acceptance

I think the world would be a happier and more peaceful place if we all practiced being more accepting.  Someone doesn’t agree with you?  Accept it and move on.  You don’t have to convince them you are right.  After stating your position, you can agree to disagree.

Someone does chores differently than you do?  Be glad they are doing chores and examine why you think it has to be done in a certain way.  For example, I like my pants to be hung on those hangers with the wooden dowels—what I affectionately call “pants hangers.”

My husband just hangs pants randomly—sometimes on wooden dowels, but just as often on wire hangers.  I don’t like this because it leaves a crease in my pants.  I explained it to him once, and he put ribbons on all the hangers I considered “pants hangers.”  That worked for awhile, but then he forgot and went back to his old way of hanging pants.

At that point I had some choices: 1) Remind him about the “pants hangers.” 2) Do my laundry myself.  3) Move my pants to “pants hangers” after he finished doing the laundry.  I chose the third option.  Why?   It’s not worth the possible fight or making him feel bad about something that’s important to me but not important to him.  Also, I appreciate it when he makes the effort to do the laundry, so I don’t want to discourage him from doing so.  And really, it’s no big deal to move the pants.  In fact, it takes a lot less time than doing a whole load of laundry.

So if you have things like this in your life, I challenge you to be more accepting of what is.  Doing so will help you appreciate the effort other people are making.  It will also help you realize that even when things aren’t going as you expected or planned, it’s still okay.  You can reframe anything as a learning opportunity.  Life has a way of teaching us what we most need to learn and often that comes in what we perceive to be problems.

There are many things in life that we can’t control…including other people.  And trying to do so just frustrates us and those around us.  So take a deep breath and accept.  Say the car won’t start.  Now what?  Do you need to call work to explain your problem and let them know that you will either be later or not make it in today?  Do you get a tow truck to take your car to the shop?  Instead of raging against the situation, take the necessary steps to solve your problem.

Any time you find yourself not wanting to accept something, take a deep breath and acknowledge the situation.  If it’s something you can do something about—like your own problem—take the necessary steps to change the situation for the better.  If it’s something you can’t control—like other people—take a deep breath and accept that they are on their own journey and doing the best they can.  Have some compassion and accept that this is the way it is.  It will greatly improve your relationships and your life!

Joke:  If you can't find your keys, I think it's life's way of saying that you're going nowhere.

Quote:  "Happiness can exist only in acceptance." – George Orwell

Advice:  If you really want to have peace, accept what life gives you–whether good or bad– with grace.