Does radical acceptance mean you just give up?
The short answer is no, but here’s a personal story about why that is.
In the past few months, my normal life has been lurched to a halt due to surprising and deeply challenging medical issues that have proven debilitating.
This would be difficult for anyone, and particularly given how active, driven and athletic a person I am, I’ve had to invest a great deal of energy and effort to keeping my mental and emotional wellbeing in a generally solid place.
In part, I’ve been practicing radical acceptance.
What does this mean? It means that I’m not fighting reality.
The reality is that my body is fighting a battle and I need to honour its needs.
But here’s the important part. Just because I am not fighting reality doesn’t mean I’m not fighting FOR a better one.
Notice the difference?
“Just because I am not fighting reality doesn’t mean I’m not fighting for a better one.”
Malumir R. Logan
I am radically accepting my current reality. And I am also working hard so that my future reality is better than this.
I am keeping my mind engaged with topics of passion and staying connected with folks. I am thinking of creative endeavours on topics I care about deeply, to build toward something that feels important to me.
In fact, I believe it’s crucial to practice radical acceptance in order to create a better future.
It’s not that much different from what I’d advise to folks who may also be reflecting on current, challenging situations.
Practicing radical acceptance will allow you to see your situation realistically.
From there, you can make decisions that help you to craft that future that is better for you. And, if you’re a leader, the teams or organizations you lead.
You can find more content like this over here. Or, if you enjoy personal development from a spiritual angle, you might enjoy these posts over here.