On Acceptance and Change
{November 8, 2022}
- 2 Ideas from others -
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
- Lao Tzu
Ancient Chinese mystic philosopher
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."
- Aristotle
Greek philosopher
- 2 Coaching Prompts -
If you’re reading this in America, this newsletter will drop on November 8th, Election Day.
Now, I’m not one for politics or to argue one standpoint over another, but what I will say is that today is one of the most impactful day for CHANGE on a massive level.
Coincidentally, Election Day also lands on the same day as a full moon— the moon, whose phases remind us that nothing in life is permanent and the only constant is change.
Lao Tzu says that non-acceptance of “what is” ultimately brings suffering and sorrow, and he encourages us to “let reality be reality.” In other words, resistance to “what is” can lead to un-ease, inner turmoil, and can rob us of our peace and productivity.
Aristotle, however, applauds the individual who can “entertain a thought” without fully accepting it as truth. That is to simply say, FULL acceptance of an idea is not necessary in order to see validity in it.
I think that people often mistaken acceptance for settling. But I think that acceptance is in the same vein as awareness. And if you recall, the first step of change is awareness.
But to Aristotle’s point, there can be a level of non-acceptance required for change and forward movement.
With that, friend, here are your prompts:
What in your life is feeling stagnant and sluggish?
What do you need to accept to move forward with energy? Conversely, what can you REFUSE to accept that will propel you forward?
- 2 Affirmations -
I choose to accept that which I cannot control.
I refuse to accept and change that which quiets my greatness.
- 2 Resources -
Graham Stephen— A lot of you know that I’m actually a real estate agent moonlighting as a Mindset Coach 🤪. Part of my (RE) job is to keep up with what’s going on with economic trends and how it impacts my buyer, seller and investor clients. If you’re curious, take a look this YouTube video and let’s talk about it!
Gabrielle Bernstein’s Spirit Junkie deck— I’m a sucker for a good inspirational card deck. I scored this one at TJ Maxx the other night and have been obsessed with it. This full moon energy has gotten me feeling wonky and pulling from this deck has re-centered me more times than I care to admit. Here’s a pic of one of my favorites, so far:
