Language of Letting Go - October 29
 

You are reading from the book The Language of Letting Go

Acceptance

A magical potion is available to us today. That potion is called acceptance.

We are asked to accept many things: ourselves, as we are; our feelings, needs, desires, choices, and current status of being. Other people, as they are. The status of our relationships with them. Problems. Blessings. Financial status. Where we live. Our work, our tasks, our level of performance at these tasks.

Resistance will not move us forward, nor will it eliminate the undesirable. But even our resistance may need to be accepted. Even resistance yields to and is changed by acceptance.

Acceptance is the magic that makes change possible. It is not forever; it is for the present moment.

Acceptance is the magic that makes our present circumstances good. It brings peace and contentment and opens the door to growth, change, and moving forward.

It shines the light of positive energy on all that we have and are. Within the framework of acceptance, we figure out what we need to do to take care of ourselves.

Acceptance empowers the positive and tells God we have surrendered to the Plan. We have mastered today's lesson, and are ready to move on.

Today, I will accept. I will relinquish my need to be in resistance to my environment and myself. I will surrender. I will cultivate contentment and gratitude. I will move forward in joy by accepting where I am today.

From The Language of Letting Go by Melody Beattie ©1990, Hazelden Foundation.

I never thought is would be possible to accept my son's addiction. Then I learned that acceptance is not condoning the situation, just acknowledging that it is what is it is and that I am powerless over it.

That led me to a better perspective of compassion and a healthier place where I discovered that I had to take care of myself or I would surely be dragged into that dark place with him.

Acceptance took me to reality and allowed me to see how addiction was affecting me. It took me to a place where I can turn it all over to God, who can do for us what we cannot do for ourselves.

When I let go of my resistance I stopped living in the problem and began living in the solution, and for me that made all the difference.

Hugs

thank you ann for the post today. acceptance was really hard for me & now that i do accept the fact that my son may not ever get clean i keep the hope that he will. i accept this fact every morning when i pray for him & turn him over to my H.P. this step has brought me a peace within i never thought i would have.

I also thought to accept the addiction was to condone it, but I was wrong. Of course I am the same person who thought you worked the "12 steps" like a workbook, completed them and got a sticker...life would be good again. I now know you work them over and over every day!

love to all,
susan

Susan -

You mean you don't get a sticker?!? Just kidding....I, too, thought I could get the 12-step guide and do it all in a day or so (by myself), and that would be that.

Progress.....not perfection:)

Hugs and prayers!

Amy

I like so many also believed that if I let go & opened my mind to the concept of acceptance I would have to like what others were doing.

I learned in recovery that Acceptance doesn't mean Agreement.

It just means that I am accepting the situation for what it is today and opening my mind to the possibility that a power greater than me has a plan about what will happen tomorrow.

Sure has helped me in this journey in learning to live Happy, Joyous and Free,

Wishing you Serenity & Joy,
Rita