Radical Acceptance
Hello wonderful readers,
Happy second Monday of 2018!
I hope last week's post provided you all with a good list of questions to ask yourself when setting your goals and intentions for this new year - or maybe you chose not to set any goals, which is great too!
Something I stated last week Tuesday after sharing the "New Year, New You" post is that the title of the post last week was not insinuating who you were previously was not good or needs changing. You are perfect as you are in this moment, and even as you were. Some of you might believe this through and through, and some of us might still be hesitant to admit this. I chose the title for last weeks post because it is what spoke most profoundly to me when writing because 2017 was a tough year for me. It was a year filled with many obstacles for me emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and physically. Last year also held a great deal of growth and discovery for me in all of the areas listed above too. It was a hard year, and the title of last week's blog was greatly appealing to move forward with the knowledge I gained from the previous year to help me expand even more in this new year.
I appreciate all of you who took the time to read last week's post and ask yourself the tough questions. Whether you set goals and intentions for this year is completely your choice. I just appreciate you continuing to better yourselves and taking part with me in this blogging journey.
If goals and intention setting is not your "jam", picking a word or a mantra is another great option.
This will serve as a suggestion, so if it is something you are not at all interested in, do not feel like you need to take my suggestion. 😊
I had this idea of picking a word, or a series of words, to live by and come back to for 2018, but nothing was sitting well with me. I even went through lists of inspiring words to try and find one that stirred something within me to live by and come back to throughout the year, but was unable to find anything that spoke to me.
I started to think maybe a word or set of words wasn't going to work for me until this past Wednesday. I was in a session with my counselor - Yes, I see a counselor every two weeks to talk through feelings and sensations I am encountering. I am not ashamed in the slightest to admit it on this platform or in any other situation. I strongly believe individuals admitting to themselves that need extra help and seeking help from a counselor or a psychologist as a strength. I could dedicate an entire post to this idea, but I will get back to my original intention of this post!
When I was in a session with my counselor, I was voicing my sadness for my most recent health obstacle. I began to experience leg pain prior to Christmas and am very frustrated with my body. I stated I was sad and so upset with my body as it continues to let me down. My counselor reassured me my sadness is normal and expected with everything that has transpired within the last year. She went on to say: "Jenny, you need to practice radical acceptance. All of your health symptoms are out of your control and there is nothing more or different you can do. This is not an easy to hear, especially for you, but you need to radically accept."
Her statement was exactly what I need to hear, exactly when I needed to hear it. I was searching high and low for words to live by this year and they came to me in a counseling session. Radical acceptance. Two words that stirred something deep within and motivated me to be better. I have been trying for so long to control everything, and I truly mean everything. I have tried to control, schedule, anticipate everything for so long it comes to me as second nature. "Control freak" and "perfectionist" are two words that could easily be used to describe me, but the past year really taught me that I do not control anything. I cannot control how my body will respond to a medication. I cannot control whether my body will have an episode or not. I cannot control what symptoms show up for me and when. I cannot control anyone or anything.
So what do I do with knowledge? Do I throw my hands up and say "oh well, whatever is going to happen will happen?" Sure, that is one way to respond, but it's not the way I am going to chose to react to this. I am going to learn to radically accept and be okay with the fact that I am not in control. I can plan and do everything in my power to try and make something happen, but if that doesn't happen, that is okay. I can still be sad at the outcome, but I cannot allow it to rule my life. I cannot allow things out of my control to define me.
Radical acceptance could and will take me an entire lifetime to truly practice and understand, but I will use this set of words this year as a motivator to deepen my self discovery.
I personally do not have a lot of advice to share with you right now on how to pick a word or words to live by this year for you, if you like this idea and chose to do it yourself. What I can tell you is you will know word(s) when you hear them or stumble across them. The word(s) might have already come in your life, or they might come to you in December 31st, 2018. There is no way to predict when the word(s) will show themselves to you, but trust they will. Please do not grow frustrated or become too attached to the word(s), but be open to the lessons that can arise from them.
If you would like to share your word or series of words you are living by in 2018, feel free to share them below in the comments. I would love to hear what is motivating all of you to be and do better this new year!
I appreciate each of you so much.
Thank you all so much for reading this week's blog post.
Subscribe, comment, and share.Together we rise, one breath at a time.
Happy second Monday of 2018!
I hope last week's post provided you all with a good list of questions to ask yourself when setting your goals and intentions for this new year - or maybe you chose not to set any goals, which is great too!
Something I stated last week Tuesday after sharing the "New Year, New You" post is that the title of the post last week was not insinuating who you were previously was not good or needs changing. You are perfect as you are in this moment, and even as you were. Some of you might believe this through and through, and some of us might still be hesitant to admit this. I chose the title for last weeks post because it is what spoke most profoundly to me when writing because 2017 was a tough year for me. It was a year filled with many obstacles for me emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, and physically. Last year also held a great deal of growth and discovery for me in all of the areas listed above too. It was a hard year, and the title of last week's blog was greatly appealing to move forward with the knowledge I gained from the previous year to help me expand even more in this new year.
I appreciate all of you who took the time to read last week's post and ask yourself the tough questions. Whether you set goals and intentions for this year is completely your choice. I just appreciate you continuing to better yourselves and taking part with me in this blogging journey.
If goals and intention setting is not your "jam", picking a word or a mantra is another great option.
This will serve as a suggestion, so if it is something you are not at all interested in, do not feel like you need to take my suggestion. 😊
I had this idea of picking a word, or a series of words, to live by and come back to for 2018, but nothing was sitting well with me. I even went through lists of inspiring words to try and find one that stirred something within me to live by and come back to throughout the year, but was unable to find anything that spoke to me.
I started to think maybe a word or set of words wasn't going to work for me until this past Wednesday. I was in a session with my counselor - Yes, I see a counselor every two weeks to talk through feelings and sensations I am encountering. I am not ashamed in the slightest to admit it on this platform or in any other situation. I strongly believe individuals admitting to themselves that need extra help and seeking help from a counselor or a psychologist as a strength. I could dedicate an entire post to this idea, but I will get back to my original intention of this post!
When I was in a session with my counselor, I was voicing my sadness for my most recent health obstacle. I began to experience leg pain prior to Christmas and am very frustrated with my body. I stated I was sad and so upset with my body as it continues to let me down. My counselor reassured me my sadness is normal and expected with everything that has transpired within the last year. She went on to say: "Jenny, you need to practice radical acceptance. All of your health symptoms are out of your control and there is nothing more or different you can do. This is not an easy to hear, especially for you, but you need to radically accept."
Her statement was exactly what I need to hear, exactly when I needed to hear it. I was searching high and low for words to live by this year and they came to me in a counseling session. Radical acceptance. Two words that stirred something deep within and motivated me to be better. I have been trying for so long to control everything, and I truly mean everything. I have tried to control, schedule, anticipate everything for so long it comes to me as second nature. "Control freak" and "perfectionist" are two words that could easily be used to describe me, but the past year really taught me that I do not control anything. I cannot control how my body will respond to a medication. I cannot control whether my body will have an episode or not. I cannot control what symptoms show up for me and when. I cannot control anyone or anything.
So what do I do with knowledge? Do I throw my hands up and say "oh well, whatever is going to happen will happen?" Sure, that is one way to respond, but it's not the way I am going to chose to react to this. I am going to learn to radically accept and be okay with the fact that I am not in control. I can plan and do everything in my power to try and make something happen, but if that doesn't happen, that is okay. I can still be sad at the outcome, but I cannot allow it to rule my life. I cannot allow things out of my control to define me.
I have faith that everything is part of a larger plan, and that plan is not one I write.
Radical acceptance could and will take me an entire lifetime to truly practice and understand, but I will use this set of words this year as a motivator to deepen my self discovery.
I personally do not have a lot of advice to share with you right now on how to pick a word or words to live by this year for you, if you like this idea and chose to do it yourself. What I can tell you is you will know word(s) when you hear them or stumble across them. The word(s) might have already come in your life, or they might come to you in December 31st, 2018. There is no way to predict when the word(s) will show themselves to you, but trust they will. Please do not grow frustrated or become too attached to the word(s), but be open to the lessons that can arise from them.
If you would like to share your word or series of words you are living by in 2018, feel free to share them below in the comments. I would love to hear what is motivating all of you to be and do better this new year!
I appreciate each of you so much.
Thank you all so much for reading this week's blog post.
Subscribe, comment, and share.Together we rise, one breath at a time.
Make a different, light the way, and share your story today.
Namasté.
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