Uncertainty will create fear or adventure

I am reminded today of just how blessed I am.  To be grateful and thankful for the simple things in life.  I was in a group meeting and listening to some of the hard places that some people are going through was a great reminder to me that everyone of us has the hard and the joyful seasons of life.  The way we accept and face the varied situation is a choice.  The choice is in Acceptance.

A friend shared this video on Emotional Adulthood through Acceptance with me.  T.T. Rangarajan summarised his concept of acceptance in very simple terms.  He gives an example of when we face uncertainty what is our response.  If we accept the uncertainty, its called adventure and if we do not accept the uncertainty its called fear.   When we see someone having something we don’t have, if we accept that it will inspire us to do better but if we don’t accept that, it leads to jealousy.   Acceptance will lead to a positive path while non-acceptance will lead down a slippery negative path.

So when we face the tough and hard times, what is our state of acceptance?  How do we accept?  What does acceptance involve?  I have read a number of books and articles on this topic and for me, these 3 things have been useful for me:

• Let it go.  We can’t start the acceptance journey if we are not willing to let go of what we are resisting or feeling negative about.  The energy that goes into holding on to something whether a situation or a perception of a situation is hard work.  It saps your energy as it increases your stress level which causes cortisol to build up in your body which then leads to physical reaction and the cycle just continues.  So not only are you emotional and mentally drained, physically there are negative consequences.   Letting go requires you to relinquish the “control” that the situation has on you.
• Open arms and heart.  Open your mind and heart to the acceptance and excitement that it brings.  No one can experience newness if we are not open to it.  We can have something new in the palm of our hands if we don’t open it.  But to open it requires that we are willing to let go.
• Move On.  Moving on from this point onwards would involve making a decision to focus on the now.  What is the situation now?  What can I do now?  Not looking back and never taking back the issue.  I know that for me, that’s hard as its so easy to go back and rehash the situation and add more dose of self pity and have a pity-party.  Let it go and move on.

To accept is to learn to let go, be open to something new and to move on to embrace the next step.