Here’s a bold claim — one worth sitting with for a moment: True happiness is self-acceptance.
Not — achieving the next goal — earning more money — finally getting anxiety under control — waiting until Continue reading “Self-Acceptance: The Key That Unlocks Everything”
Tag: Acceptance
Acceptance, allowing and surrender
How Anxiety Works: Understanding What’s Really Happening Beneath the Surface
Have you wondered why you cannot control your anxiety, or make it go away? It’s because of how anxiety works.
Much of what happens takes place Continue reading “How Anxiety Works: Understanding What’s Really Happening Beneath the Surface”
Vulnerability
We’re all vulnerable to one degree or another. Those of us who are more sensitive and compassionate than most feel this vulnerability more strongly. It becomes a problem when Continue reading “Vulnerability”
Life is Messy – Accept It
Things don’t always go the way we would like. Life is messy. People around us frequently behave in ways we find Continue reading “Life is Messy – Accept It”
Walk into the Storm
One of the visuals I use to describe facing and allowing anxiety symptoms, is to “walk into the storm”. But what does this mean? What does Continue reading “Walk into the Storm”
Surrender
Surrender is the Kryptonite to anxiety. Surrendering (or letting go) is the opposite of what we typically do. We just want to be free of anxiety, and we try to fight it off. It’s the only way we know, so we continue do it in spite of the fact it hasn’t worked! We fight harder and harder, but no matter how hard we fight, it makes no difference. This leads to an obvious conclusion – we Continue reading “Surrender”
Being Ourselves
There is a strength and a freedom in being ourselves, and not feeling like we have to conform and meet the expectations of others. It’s cool to be different, interesting to be unique, and amazingly gratifying to be our true selves. So why do we Continue reading “Being Ourselves”
Symptoms Too Intense to Accept
Early in the recovery journey it is common to despair when trying to practice the Acceptance Method, especially if symptoms are very intense. It can seem impossible to accept them, and nothing you try seems to lessen the intensity.
There are two common misconceptions at work here. Firstly, Continue reading “Symptoms Too Intense to Accept”
When We Stop Struggling, We Stop Suffering
Is it possible that our struggle causes suffering? In other words, could our suffering be the result of how we react to our pain/discomfort rather than the pain itself? I believe so.
And if that is the case, then even when the symptoms are horrendous, our actual suffering would remain bearable if we surrendered instead of resisting. Continue reading “When We Stop Struggling, We Stop Suffering”
Acceptance vs. Putting Up With (Resignation)
It is never the case that we are either fully accepting, or not accepting at all. There are degrees of acceptance.
Initially in the anxiety state, we are pretty close to zero on the acceptance scale. We refuse to accept our symptoms and fight them with all our might. We just want them to leave right away and never come back. We don’t want to experience them for another second, and cannot imagine ever developing acceptance for them. Continue reading “Acceptance vs. Putting Up With (Resignation)”