Finding Peace through Acceptance

We've all heard the Serenity Prayer.  "God (Creator, Universe) grant me the serenity to ACCEPT the things I cannot change, the COURAGE to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference."  I think it's a beautiful prayer.  I also think it's been said and read so much, that it's not always being 'applied' in our lives.  We humans tend to read words, say words, or understand words but we aren't always aware if we are actually living them.  It's one thing to have and share knowledge, it's quite another to apply it to our lives!

It's interesting when I observe myself in a 'struggle' now and again, and realize how simple the solution can sometimes be to simply let go. When the serenity prayer is not just said, but applied to my life....wow, it's like an immediate shift takes place.  When I notice any inner struggle surface, I ask 'can I change this'?  If the answer is yes, then I've asked for the courage and I'm willing to make the necessary changes.  If the answer is no, I can simply accept it and let the struggle go!!  Easy peasy.  ACCEPTANCE.  

The simple act of ACCEPTANCE can be so freeing!  Sometimes things just ARE and we have no control over them!!  It's amazing how much energy it actually takes to try to control everything or want things to be, or turn out a certain specific way.  Believe me I used to be a HUGE control freak and God help anyone who was around me the day my plans went for a shit!!  I would FREAK OUT!  I remember getting bumped off a flight once in Toronto, back in my control freak days.  Air Canada had over sold the flight and it didn't matter if we had full paid tickets or not (which we did) the flight was over sold.  Instead of taking it all in stride and 'accepting' the situation, (which i would do now in a heartbeat, fully understanding there is a bigger picture that I can't see) I lost it on that airline agent.  I am not proud of my behavior as I proceeded to have a hissy fit, but I was who I was back then and now I know better so I do better!  As it turned out, the airline ended up providing us with a beautiful hotel room with meals included, a free flight for future use, and we were booked to leave the following morning on the same flight path.  Do you think I could enjoy it??  No, I couldn't, because I chose to be pissed off all night instead!  Had I simply stopped, taken a deep breath and 'applied' the serenity prayer in that situation, simply accepting what I couldn't change, I would have enjoyed the 'free stuff', saved the flight agent the attack, and my ex-husband the embarrassment!


I probably have a thousand other instances where I could have applied acceptance and saved myself and others a lot of grief but that's one example.  I've learned that one of the most powerful places to apply 'acceptance' is when we are wanting other people to change.  If we apply the serenity prayer where other people are concerned we realize we must accept others exactly how they are because we cannot change other people!  We can only change ourselves.

Sometimes we humans prefer to stay in the struggle because it's like an old familiar friend.  We can become addicted to those old familiar ways regardless of how unhealthy they are for us.  No one said change was easy!! (or life for that matter) *sigh*  ;-)  Sometimes when we get a glimpse of inner peace or joy, it can freak us out so we find ourselves choosing  our comfortable place of control or struggle. However if we are willing to make these small changes and incorporate new ways of doing things, more inner peace is definitely attainable.  I know this from experience.


So you might wanna try acceptance on for size today, this week, or every chance you get...see what happens.  Oh and don't forget the most important acceptance...that of yourself...exactly as you are.


Peace, Love and Acceptance .....