Accepting What Is

“Acceptance makes an
incredible fertile soil
for the
seeds of change”.

~Steve Maraboli

It is truly such a surreal time to be alive. 

I continuously remind myself with each passing event and passage we navigate during these uncertain times that we have another opportunity to drop into the reality of this unfolding situation and tap into some semblance of acceptance in the process.  

Everyone’s lives are being changed to varying degrees. Please know that you are not alone during this time of upheaval, shift, and uncertainty.     
 
Writing these newsletters has become an important part of my own practice of awakening. They always provide me with the opportunity to dig a bit deeper into my process of life so as to articulate these experiences with authenticity and clarity.  

I genuinely hope that they are providing some solace in knowing that you are not alone and the inspiration to keep going and perhaps use these times as medicine to grow oneself.
 
This theme of finding acceptance of what is on both a larger scale as well as on a more intimate and personal level has been an interesting one for me to dive into. 
 
Finding acceptance of what is, beginning with ourselves and radiating out to the world at large is a practice. As my wise, longtime friend and sister Jessica Emich reminds me consistently, “acceptance is not a destination, it is a journey”. 

It is a powerful perspective to embody acceptance as a way of living.  A journey of our life on the whole.  
 
Acceptance includes the moment-by-moment choice to unplug from the horrific news images and information and drop into the present moment through our breath, through our bodies, and through our senses.  To tune deeply into our own innate knowing, power, and ground in midst of the swirls.  
 
A tremendous piece around cultivating an attitude of acceptance is in embracing the whole of the human experience.  To hold ourselves close when we are overwhelmed with grief or anxiety, to do the work that we need to to take care of our bodies and our hearts, and to nurture regular practices that are supportive for our nervous systems to settle.  
 
It is about cultivating an attitude of lovingkindness and acceptance for our humanness.  We are all going to crumble at times.  These moments of fumble and dipping down are opportunities to embrace and accept ourselves and our humanness on an even deeper level.  
 
I do understand that this is not an easy path to walk. 
 
There are endless reasons as to why we should not accept the ways in which this virus is sweeping through our world and communities.  There are always reasons as to why we cannot accept ourselves and our ways of moving through the world.  We are our worst critics after all.  
 
I am offering you an opportunity here to shift your perspective and open to a new way of looking at oneself and the collective, uncertain, ever-changing, uncomfortable passage that we are all maneuvering. 
 
This is uncharted territory.  Not a single one of us has ever navigated this terrain before.  
 
Accepting what is doesn’t mean that we like what is happening, that we are happy all the time, that we don’t experience waves of deep sadness and grief, or that we aren’t angry in moments. And, it certainly does not mean that we are living in a state of ignorance or denial of the magnitude of what is unfolding.  
 
It means that we accept what is in each moment.  We are present with the entire array of emotions, experiences, and events.  We are right there.  Feeling the entire spectrum and accepting ourselves and what is occurring in those moments.  
 
Accepting what is is about being awake to the whole gamut of life experiences and choosing to soften and yield rather than put up our armor and reside in a place of fear. 
 
It means checking in with oneself consistently and doing our best to meet our own needs with love, care, kindness, and acceptance.  It is all about surrendering to life as it is unfolding with the whole of us intact.  It is about shedding that resistance and opening up to new possibilities.  

One thing is for certain...we are being shaped anew.
 
We have a choice every moment of the day to embrace and accept what is happening or resist and suffer through it.  We have the choice in every moment to accept this new path or resist it.  
 
It is an opportunity to deepen into our practices of self-inquiry, to put our focus on learning new ways of self-regulation, and a golden moment to cultivate a deeper relationship to ourselves through unconditional love and acceptance. 
 
We cannot wait to live our lives until the pandemic has passed.  The more that we resist that reality the more inner and outer angst we will experience.  
 
Despite all of the factors that are swirling around us that we feel no control over, we must remember that we always have choice as to how we meet each moment, how we meet the unfolding of our days and if we tap into that stream of acceptance around what is. 
 

May our personal work radiate out to the whole and serve the greater good in navigating these times of upheaval. 
 
May this letter be a simple reminder, a gesture of hope and inspiration to remember to live your lives. 
 
To enjoy being alive.

To appreciate your connections and those moments of sweetness.

Stay healthy, embrace what is, live your lives, be kind to each other, and reach out for connection if you need it.  

We are all in this together.