We all have faced (and will most likely again) face challenging circumstances that we did not anticipate and could not control. These circumstances often bring about feelings of disappointment, frustration, anger or injustice - and rightly so! - we did not anticipate their presence and definitely do not enjoy being faced with the impact of these circumstances!
What if I told you there is a skill that you could use to reduce the amount of suffering you experience in less desirable situations? This skill is called radical acceptance. Here's how it works:
Radical acceptance asks of us to fully accept a situation as it is, with our mind, body & soul.
Radical acceptance means to acknowledge that a situation did not turn out the way we wanted it to and that it is really challenging to be in the situation. We do not brush over the feelings accompanying the challenging situation. We also do not condone the situation (If some kind of injustice was done towards us, for example).
We radically accept a situation by taking deep breaths, letting go of thoughts like "This is unfair", "This should not be this way", "Why me?". When we notice ourselves saying or thinking this, we choose to steer ourselves away and say/think instead: "I choose to fully accept my situation as it is."
What would the advantages be of radically accepting a challenging situation? Simply put, it reduces suffering! When we choose to resist and reject a harsh reality, we increase the amount of suffering we are experiencing. Radically accepting a situation means releasing resistance, and ultimately, reducing suffering!
PS. This is no easy skill to master, especially because many of us have the default mode of resisting or rejecting difficult situations because they cause us suffering. If you need further support to navigate and accept a very challenging circumstance, reach out to me. I am here to walk that journey with you!
Yours in radical acceptance,