ACCEPTANCE

WHY DOES IT COME FIRST?

When you're in a difficult place, it's hard to think about acceptance. It feels totally unnatural (if not downright impossible) to accept what's happening to you. It's natural to say "This is terrible.  It can't be happening!"  Natural, but not helpful.

A problem can't be changed, a situation can't be resolved, a condition can't be healed unless it is accepted first. This is a hard principle to wrap your head around. "How can I accept this terrible thing? Why do I even have to try?"

Because nothing changes until you stop fighting it.

As long as you don't accept something, you resist it. Resistance drains your energy, narrows your thinking, limits your creativity, and makes it hard to act. You simply can't change what you're fighting. You must put down your arms . . . and accept instead.

Acceptance is the first step to getting out of the place you never thought you'd be. It's also the least understood one.

Acceptance doesn't condone.

Acceptance doesn’t mean you like it.

It doesn't say things are OK, or that you think they should stay the same. It simply says:

“This is where I am.”

Acceptance frees you - to learn, change, grow, and become more. It moves you from "Why me?" to "Why not me?" 

From being disempowered to being empowered.

From feeling overwhelmed to discovering your strength. 

From feeling defeated to feeling determined about your challenge.

Acceptance moves you.  It puts you back on your path.

You don't have to think this way. You can continue resisting, and remain where you are. Or you can choose acceptance -  and experience a shift. Acceptance doesn't eliminate your pain, but it changes your relationship with it.

Once you stop fighting what is, the struggle eases. Your energy returns, and new possibilities appear. You are free to move to a better place. All because you’ve accepted what is.

Acceptance is never the end of the story.

It’s the beginning of a better one.

That’s why it comes first.