What is Acceptance?

What is acceptance, and how does one learn to accept reality?

Acceptance is when you surrender to the truth. Many people live in denial and succumb to their present circumstances by using negative coping skills such as drinking or smoking. They become too comfortable that they are scared or wary of trying anything new. These people lack a higher sense of purpose and instead live paycheck to paycheck, filling the void inside by just consuming as much as they can.

I’m here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be this way. You can learn how to enjoy life by first accepting where you are. Whether you’re a teenager or college student struggling to figure out what kind of career you would like to pursue, or even a working professional who has had it with the corporate world, you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it and first just accept where you are.

Acceptance can be a scary path for some people, but it doesn’t have to be so. First, you have to take a good look at yourself. What is your life like? Is it neat and organized? Is it a chaotic mess?

Most people live in a chaotic mess through a combination of environment, physical wellbeing, mindset, and spirit. The easiest area to lead a more fulfilling life is to start with your physical wellbeing. Accept you body’s current state (i.e. overweight, underweight, weak arms, strong legs, farsightedness, etc.). You can start off by going to the gym or going for a walk in the neighborhood if you’re the type of person who has not been that physically active.

For those who can handle risks like an entrepreneur, I suggest skipping all the way to the top of Maslow’s hierarchy after accomplishing your physiological needs first: self-actualization. That’s because if you start off with something like a job, you may find it unfulfilling and sink into a negative state. It’s best to get your basic needs met (food, water, shelter, exercise for your body), and then shoot all the way to the top of what it is that you’d like your life to be.

How do I accept my mistakes or my past?

You can learn to accept your past or mistakes by first identifying what it is that is bothering you. Is it your living space? Is it your health? Are you stressed out from the people who are living in the same household? Figure out what’s wrong first.

Then, explore other possibilities. Can you accept where your mindset is right now and learn how to master it slowly over time? Of course you can. You can start by building up habits that will help you master your mindset. Start with a morning routine. Set goals for making money to help fix up your environment.

Everyone makes mistakes. I purchased PC parts when I was visiting my parents at home, back when I was traveling during my break from a job that I had in South Korea. When I brought the parts back to my studio apartment in South Korea, the PC failed and did not work. After I left my job, I brought my PC parts with me to my parent’s house (where I now live). The parts continued to fail and I could not find a way to make it work. Still to this day, I have all the PC parts that I invested in, but it does not function properly. That was one of my failures with technology, and it bothered me a lot because of how much money I put into it. However, I learned to accept that it was not working and I have moved on.

You have to accept failures and learn how to be present, seeking all the hidden opportunities out there. Learn from your mistakes quickly and move on. Especially if you’re a business-oriented person, this is a valuable lesson. Accept your mistakes, your past, grow from it, and then learn how to do better next time. Mistakes are a part of life. Your perception on those mistakes can allow you to heal and excel at life. (;