Acceptance and peace go hand in hand.
Consciously accept the good and the bad that exists in your life.
The rain and the sunlight.
The shadow and the light.
Shift your focus. Change your life.
Accepting what is does not lower the bar.
Quite the opposite.
Acceptance shines a spotlight on your inner strengths and endurance – independent of outer circumstances.
Strengths that were fostered in the eye of the storm. ☔️
Courage. Creativity. Wisdom. Perseverance. Faith.
This very moment in time.
And it’s that good feeling that motivates you to strive for more of what’s right for you. Instead of fighting against what’s wrong for you.
HOW DO I MAKE THE SHIFT?
Begin by accepting what is.
Moment by precious moment.
Applying this Post in Everyday Life
The 3 to 1 positivity to negativity ratio is one way of applying this post in your everyday life.
Specifically, each time you criticize an area of your life (or something about yourself personally), write down three positive aspects about the very thing you condemned. Hence, the 3 to 1 positivity ratio.
For example, each time you get down on yourself for not working during the COVID-19 pandemic, write down three benefits of sheltering in place. (E.g., more time for fitness, the space to try out new hobbies, meaningful conversations with family members). This daily practice helps to dampen the adverse impact of negativity bias, a type of cognitive distortion, common to all of us.
Likewise, stop comparing your lowlights to other people’s highlights. You never know what’s happening behind the scenes in another person’s life. Good or bad. FOMO is “a story” fabricated in the mind based on snippets of observable behaviour (video below).
Reflection Questions
- How has COVID-19 eased (or increased) the pressure you put on yourself and the people around you?
- What does acceptance “feel” like physically in your body versus fighting “what is”?
- What have you surrendered lately? Let go?
You Can’t Add More to Your Life Without First Letting Go
Thriving Under Pressure 
Good morning Dr Andrea..
Yes..self acceptance matters much than the desire of being accepted…accepting what one is..accepting the circumstances…accepting the flaws..then only one can make efforts to change…
COVID has given time for self reflection…to make mid course correction ..most of us had lost sight of our passion in the pursuit of ‘ more’…more money…the pursuit was leaving so less or no time for own self…now we got that time…
Regards
Wonderful insights Krish!
So well stated! Sometimes we think we have to give up one to have the other…peace is acceptance. Thank you for sharing your thoughts! 😊
Thanks for the feedback my friend! Curious to know:?What have you given up (literally or metaphorically) during COVID-19 to make room for happiness in present time? 💭👀
A former prof of mine taught that the greatest sin against the self is comparison. Combine this with the serenity prayer and voila = acceptance. Love this post, Andrea. Very helpful. Easier said than done though, I realize, watching one of my daughters.
Anything worth having takes work!
Especially inner peace. (A paradox, I know)
The key is to inch yourself back, one self compassionate thought at a time. Especially with the help of the serenity prayer. One of my all time favourites.
The other life lesson I have learned the hard way (rescuer archetype) is that some people actually prefer chaos over peace. (A paradox, I know) It grounds them and gives them a sense of identity.
Which is why writing is my saving grace. And so is connecting with wonderful women like you VJ.
Thank you for once again sharing your wisdom! I cherish your insights. 🙏🏻💕
Some people do prefer chaos over peace – you are so right. (Had to learn that one too.). Always heart warming to connect here, Andrea.
“This post is helpful – in a way that is much more relevant now. Reaching towards acceptance, as you describe how, may be the handle many of us need to pull through this seemingly more fragile time in one piece.” 💞
Thank you for taking the time to reflect and share how your own inner transformation relates to this post. I am so much like you – a planner – ENFJ on Myers Briggs.
So I relate to your own struggles and life lessons. And as a result of COVID-19, I am being forced (and guided) to let go of my “need” to plan beyond each day. And instead, rest in each moment, as it were the only one that ever existed, or ever will.
EMBODY MINDFULNESS
Accept what is.
Surrender.
Let
Go
This is where I find peace.🌷
Ahh…so you’ve done the Myers Briggs too. I did that many years ago 🙂
If ever there was a need – or rationale – for mindfulness, it is now. Perhaps even a silver lining. Planning seems pointless anyway. Thanks again.
Interesting that comparing to others who have more OR who have less than you do can still lead to the same self doubt or anxiety. Probably we do that automatically. Living in this new world of virus fears is like being in a strange land and not knowing the language. Everyone is so spread out in degrees of illness, isolation, financial effects, etc. – it’s hard to not feel better or worse than others. “Waiting for the other shoe to drop” on so many levels – is the prevailing emotion. Those of us (like me) who are “planners” have to let that go and that is not easy.
This post is helpful – in a way that is much more relevant now. Reaching towards acceptance, as you describe how, may be the handle many of us need to pull through this seemingly more fragile time in one piece.