How to Practice Acceptance

Acceptance looks like a passive state, but in reality, it brings something entirely new into this world. That peace, a subtle energy vibration, is consciousness. -Eckhart Tolle 

Do you have trouble with accepting your partner, friendship, family members, other people's actions or behaviors or even your own self? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then this blog is for you. In this blog, we will be covering how to practice acceptance to assist with overall quality of life and wellbeing. So, let's talk about acceptance!

To begin, practicing acceptance is a skill that is essential that can lead to resilience, managing life changes, improved relationships, and greater peace of mind that can reduce anxiety. Acceptance according to psychology today is defined as meaning the idea of experiencing thoughts, feeling and emotions, body sensations and experiences without trying to avoid, control or change them. Acceptance also involves acknowledging reality without judgment or resistance. Some may mistake this definition as meaning condoning, or approving of everything that is occurring; rather than embracing the facts that lead to the present moment with an open mind. Another reason why acceptance is often rejected is because people assume that it means being passive. It is actually a very powerful tool to assist with emotional well-being and personal growth. 

So why is acceptance important? One of the key principles of acceptance is acknowledging that there are simply multiple factors in life that are beyond our control. We often worry and exert energy trying to change, avoid, or reject the areas of life that are beyond our control. Psychological inflexibility (changing, avoiding, and rejecting the parts of life that are beyond our control) can result in stress, depression, and anxiety due to attempting to change the forms or frequencies of our experiences, which can be counterproductive. As people, we have to remember the areas of life that we are and are not in control over to maintain balance, and to manage the energy that we have with ourselves. Accepting the limitations of our control, redirects the energy and goals that we have towards personal development and meaningful relationships which are more fulfilling in our lives. Acceptance also assists with cultivating resilience. Life can be unpredictable and often throws us in and out of loops that we were not prepared for. These challenges and setbacks can be detrimental at times without the tools and resources to be able to adequately combat them. With resilience, accepting life's difficulties and challenges means that you have learned and understood that life's setbacks are a natural part of our human experience. So how do we practice and incorporate acceptance within our lives?

Tips for Incorporating Acceptance 

Incorporating acceptance in our lives may seem challenging, but it's not impossible. Below, we will share several tips that will assist with incorporating acceptance into your life and practicing acceptance. 

1. Compassion: Compassion for oneself, according to Harvard Health, assists with well-being as it promotes self-esteem and self-confidence, which reduces anxiety and symptoms of depression. Treating yourself with kindness and understanding, especially in times of difficulty, is critical. Accepting your imperfections and embracing yourself with gentleness and empathy is truly impactful for our overall well-being.

1. Gratitude: Gratitude according to the Oxford languages means: The quality of being thankful and the readiness to show appreciation and kindness. Gratitude is important in our everyday lives because it shifts our negative perspectives to a more positive perspective. Gratitude helps us appreciate the blessings that surround us each day and approach life with a grateful heart, which allows us to be better at facilitating joy and fostering happiness. 

1. Letting go of expectations: Sometimes, we let expectations get in the way of our goals and the way that we see ourselves and others. Letting go of expectations is imperative in order to see situations as they unfold, instead of how one wishes for things to go, as this leads to regular feelings of disappointment.

1. Mindfulness: Mindfulness is also impactful for practicing acceptance, as it helps train our minds to become more accepting of the experiences that come into our lives. Mindfulness assists us with being able to accept both positive and negative feelings, as well as pleasant and unpleasant experiences without being judgmental of them. Mindfulness allows us to be able to accept life's challenges with resilience and wisdom to assist with solving the problems that arrive from our day to day routines and activities. 

To end, practicing acceptance can seem to be very difficult, but it's not impossible to do. With the tips mentioned above, incorporating acceptance into your life can assist with overall well-being and overall quality of life. Having compassion, gratitude, letting go of expectations and practicing mindfulness are all ways to begin your journey of acceptance. For more resources like this, please check out our other tips here: https://www.plantationcounseling.com/blog. You can always find us at 954-903-1676 for counseling services.