Acceptance: The Answer to All My Problems

Today's Reflection

One of the most powerful passages in the Big Book tells us that "acceptance is the answer to all my problems today." When we're disturbed, it's because we find some person, place, thing, or situation unacceptable. Our serenity comes when we accept life on life's terms.

Acceptance doesn't mean we like what's happening or that we stop working to change things we can change. It means we stop fighting reality. We stop demanding that people, situations, or ourselves be different than they are right now. We let go of the illusion of control.

When we practice acceptance, we free ourselves from unnecessary suffering. We can acknowledge that something is difficult without making it worse through resistance and resentment. We can work toward change from a place of peace rather than from a place of anger and frustration.

Today, when you find yourself disturbed, ask: "What am I not accepting?" Then practice letting go of the need for things to be different. Accept what is, and watch your serenity return.