Speak Your Truth: Accepting Things As They Are

How many times do we wish things were different? Or a person wasn’t so loud and obnoxious? How many times have we thought about the different ways we can renovate our home or change the way we look?

Have we even stopped to appreciate a situation for what it is? Maybe there’s a reason that situation is as it is? Maybe it is trying to show us something, to teach us an important lesson?

Maybe that obnoxious person isn’t as annoying as we think? Maybe there are some amazing qualities of that person we didn’t see because we were too busy looking at the obvious?

Does our home really need a new paint job right this minute? Have we even stopped to appreciate the fact that we have a home and a roof over our heads?

Do we really need a new hairstyle, or those new flashy clothes right now? Have we stopped to see ourselves as we are? Do we love ourselves even without that new swanky outfit?

We may not like something or someone, but it’s really not necessary for us to like everything in any give moment. But not liking can lead to stress if we allow it. That’s why we seek to change things. We think that if we can make it better and to our liking, then the stress will disappear. But what about the stress of trying to change something, especially if it’s something beyond us and our immediate ability to change? What about that stress?

Maybe a better way would be to open our hearts to let whatever be what it will be. In this way, we can find more contentment in life. We cut out the constant criticism and finding all the faults, and see things for what they really are. And maybe things aren’t what they first seemed. Maybe that desire to change something or someone dissolves as we see attributes instead of just what was once intolerable to us.

And what about ourselves? Are we in such a hurry to change ourselves that we don’t even stop to see the things that are going right for us? What about all the things about ourselves that are amazing and beautiful? What sort of awesome things are we capable of and we haven’t even stopped to acknowledge them because we are too busy pushing ourselves to the next level?

Be aware. Be willing to make changes and be more and do more. But it’s also important for us to stop and accept. We must accept ourselves. We must accept those around us. We must accept all the things and situations in our lives whether good or bad. And in doing all this accepting, we invite more love and compassion. We invite more fulfillment and happiness.

Perhaps some changes do need to be made. But let’s make sure we aren’t creating conflict and chaos where none needs to be. Let’s create change from a place of love, not a place of needing everything to go and be our way. Maybe once we can truly accept something for what it is, then we see a much better and simpler way to make the changes that are necessary.

It’s not wrong to want to make changes. We have the power to make as many changes (or not make as many changes) as we like. That’s one our most beautiful gifts, the power to make change. But we can get so wrapped up in the changing; we forget the equal power of just letting things be.

Not everything needs to be changed. And not everything needs to stay the same. Our truest power comes from being open and brave enough to let things be, and then when it becomes necessary to act, we do so from the heart. If we act from the heart, it will never lead us astray.