Change in life is inevitable and much of our suffering
results from resisting change. Acceptance is the beginning
of adaptation to change. It has taken me years to learn to
redefine myself, not by the image I see in the mirror, but by
the person I am. We are so much more than the image we see.
We are so much more than the stuff we own. Our looks,
our clothes, our cars, or our jobs don’t make us who we are,
even though many of us think they do. If our identity is
based on these things, we may feel totally lost when we have
to give them up. These externals cannot define a human
being.
I had to learn to accept myself with all my physical
limitations and to make the most of my gifts and abilities.
Acceptance allowed me to have a greater appreciation for
those senses that were still available to me. It led to an
attitude change from defeat to victory, and from self-pity to
mastery. Acceptance allowed me to learn to love and embrace
the person I see in the mirror. It also set the stage for the
challenge of loving and accepting others.
Are there areas in your life that require acceptance? Begin by praying
the serenity prayer: “God, give me grace to accept with serenity the
things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and
wisdom to know the difference.”
results from resisting change. Acceptance is the beginning
of adaptation to change. It has taken me years to learn to
redefine myself, not by the image I see in the mirror, but by
the person I am. We are so much more than the image we see.
We are so much more than the stuff we own. Our looks,
our clothes, our cars, or our jobs don’t make us who we are,
even though many of us think they do. If our identity is
based on these things, we may feel totally lost when we have
to give them up. These externals cannot define a human
being.
I had to learn to accept myself with all my physical
limitations and to make the most of my gifts and abilities.
Acceptance allowed me to have a greater appreciation for
those senses that were still available to me. It led to an
attitude change from defeat to victory, and from self-pity to
mastery. Acceptance allowed me to learn to love and embrace
the person I see in the mirror. It also set the stage for the
challenge of loving and accepting others.
Are there areas in your life that require acceptance? Begin by praying
the serenity prayer: “God, give me grace to accept with serenity the
things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and
wisdom to know the difference.”