Sometimes things are not going to go according to the plans we
make. There will be disappointments, but the key to a healthy,
balanced life lies in acceptance. Acceptance, far from being
complacent, is actually very liberating. Acceptance means letting go of the "victim" mentality, and acknowledging our role as leaders in our lives. It is the first stage of the healing processes of release and forgiveness. Acceptance is a necessary component of growth, that keeps us from remaining stuck in the past.

Choosing acceptance over denial enables us to be more objective,
opening the door to alternative solutions. It allows us to live for today, fully in the moment, with no regrets. Valid solutions are elusive when we fight life's circumstances as opposed to empowering ourselves to manage them. What we resist persists, and in the act of letting go we attain clarity.

Here is an exercise:

Reflect on an aspect of yourself, or a situation in your life, that you have not been able to accept. What causes you to resist what is? How do you feel accepting this will benefit you? Can you see yourself moving beyond it? What steps can you take to reach this goal?


Here is a story that kid of demonstrates this:


Pearls

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them, a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. On her birthday Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace. Jenny loved her pearls.
They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere, Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story.

One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"
"Oh yes, daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh, daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection, the one with the pink tail. Remember, daddy? The one you gave me. She's my very favorite."

"That's okay, Honey, daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"
"Daddy, you know I love you."
"Then give me your pearls."
"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves
you."
And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"
Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, daddy, this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure, one that wouldn't tarnish her neck.

So it is with God, our devine nature. God "waits" for us to give up the lesser things in our lives so that we can gain beautiful
treasures.

Are you holding on to harmful or unnecessary partners, relationships, habits and activities that you have come so attached to that it seems impossible to let go? Sometimes it is so hard to see what is in the other hand but do believe this one thing; nothing will ever be taken away without being replaced with something better.