Inevitably in life we will face disappointment from time to time. Sometimes they may be little disappointments, and other times they may be great, big, heart-wrenching disappointments. When this happens to us, we have a choice in how we react. Some of us may give up on our dreams, others may keep fighting stubbornly against the tide, and still others may choose another path to travel. One important aspect of dealing with disappointment is acceptance. When we persist in fighting against our circumstances and disappointments, it can leave us feeling frustrated, bitter and exhausted. Especially during those times in life when everything seems to keep going wrong for us, we get more and more stressed as we try to resist the undesirable circumstances. Practicing acceptance can help ease that inner tension and allow us to see our situation more clearly. Accepting your circumstances does not mean giving up! It does not mean that you have to be 100% happy with your current situation. Acceptance means that you acknowledge and accept where you are in your life at this moment, even though it may not be ideal. Maybe you hate your job or your marriage is faltering. Maybe you are struggling to lose weight and can't seem to get anywhere with it. Whatever it is that is causing you stress, try accepting it instead of fighting against it. Repeat the following to yourself (and mean it): "I may not be thrilled with the way things are in my life right now, but I accept it. I will do what I can and give the rest to God. I am thankful for the blessings I do have right now, and I know that more are on the way." It may take a lot of practice at the beginning, but as you continue to do this, something amazing happens. The struggles suddenly don't seem so large anymore. They won't magically dissolve before your eyes, but the edges seem to soften a bit. Life doesn't seem quite so harsh anymore. Solutions to the problems may even begin to appear. If that doesn't happen right away, that's okay. Know that they will eventually. Keep practicing acceptance and have faith that things will turn around when the time is right. In the meantime, you can certainly keep working on finding solutions to your problems. I don't mean to imply that you should just throw your hands in the air and give up all responsbility for your life! Work on breaking through your obstacles, but also accept that the obstacles have a rightful place in your life. I believe that everything happens for a reason. We are where we are in our lives right now because we are meant to be here. Several factors may have contributed to our current circumstances, such as choices we made in the past, or outside influences we have no control over. The questions to ask yourself are: What is the lesson here? What do I need to learn about this situation? Though you may not be happy with your current situation, there is a reason you are there right now. This is especially true if you continuously find yourself in similar situations! For example, if you keep choosing unhealthy relationships, you might want to take some time to discover why. If you are always struggling financially, there may be a message for you there. If you can't seem to figure it out on your own, you might consider seeking professional help. Sometimes an outside observer can see things that we can't. No matter what difficulties you are struggling with right now, know that this too shall pass. Difficulties do not last forever. Sometimes struggles are opportunities in disguise. Embrace the lesson. Embrace the journey, and you will find value in the situations that used to defeat you. |
