The first step to happiness: accept where you are at this very moment.
It's all about what IS, not what we WISH. "If only it weren't raining!" It IS! What's the plan? "It's a bad day!" Why? "It's a bad day because it's raining." I beg to differ; it's not a bad day...it's a WET day!
How do you react to a rainy day you had previously planned to spend at the beach? It's up to you. You choose your beliefs about the day. You choose your attitude toward a rainy day, a hot day, a cold day... After all, you can sit under an umbrella either way.
If you are constantly trying to manipulate and control the weather, you are in for constant surprises and perhaps some frustration. If you get into floating and flowing, accepting and working with what IS, I will bet you will be less stressed and a lot happier.
If you cultivate the habit of precious, present moment living, you will soon begin to accept yourself at this very precious, present moment. "If only's," destroy happiness. "If only I were thinner...If only I had more money..." Once we accept where we are at this moment we can make a plan, one that doesn't include denial. If I need to lose 40 pounds, the "big bones theory" is just another denial, resistance to change.
To develop acceptance we need to take stock of what we have and what we need.
Personal Inventory
* What about your body would you like to change? What can you do to make a change?
[No lypo! We can't afford it.]
• What would you like to change in your relationships with your: partner, children, parents, friends or
co-workers? How can you start today to make some changes? [Make a map/list, be specific about
what changes and how you will implement them.]
• What would you change about your job? What can you do to move toward change today? [Making a
list of what you like about your job is a great way to identify the positive and balance the
negatives.]
• List your skills, hobbies and personality traits that you respect and admire.
• What would you like to change about your personality traits? Can you accept that you are able to
modify your traits but may have to work with them more than you've previously thought?
Specifically, how will you begin the changes?
Come back to this exercise occasionally and look for progress. Keep a diary-type record as you note improvements, reminders to stay on the course of change or opportunities to learn from an ineffective choice.
continued...
