Radical Acceptance
Acceptance of what is not desired is one of the hardest things to do. So many of us get caught up in replaying scenarios in our minds, denying what happened, wishing that things had turned out differently, thus repressing painful emotions. Radical acceptance, which sounds rather stringent, means we are willing to work through and heal egregious situations, which in and of itself, is radical. Fully embracing radical acceptance doesn’t mean we must be happy with the wounds received at the hands of someone who took their frustration, anger, and aggression out on us. Rather, it means accepting what occurred so that we can finally heal from it. Lamenting what could have been is no longer an option for those seeking inner peace.
Freedom
With uncompromising acceptance of what happened, we are no longer bewildered or stymied by the haunting of repressed pain that keeps poking at the back of our mind. Holding on to what might have been, we are unable to live in true freedom. Refusing to look at the disturbing realities of our lives, and who we’ve become as a result, we lose the battle for personal freedom. However, by earnestly acknowledging the troubling past, we give ourselves the liberty to focus on the present. Radical acceptance is about leaning into the past and opening up into the brilliant lights of insight, wisdom, and courage that resulted from what we endured and experienced.
Empowering
Radical acceptance, which leaves no room for blame, justification, or vulnerability avoidance is empowering. It enables us to transform resistance into resilience, which then allows us to engage the mind in new perspectives, new possibilities, and new opportunities for growth.
“When facing a painful reality, don’t fight it. Allow it to exist. It will become the bridge to freedom. ”