Breaking Free from the Chains of Negative Thinking: The Power of Acceptance
Why Thoughts Are Saboteurs
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” — Reinhold Niebuhr
Think of a current problem upsetting you right now. It may be a relationship, your finances, career, health, or otherwise. Try to get a sense of how it is affecting you. Now, hold that thought in mind as you read on.
Many people find the idea of acceptance challenging to grasp because it implies resignation or apathy. However, acceptance brings a profound sense of relief, as it means letting go of worry, fear, anger, and negative emotions and choosing peace.
Often, what we experience isn’t the real cause of our suffering, as much as our resistance to it. Since we cannot control our thoughts, we desperately try to understand what is happening.
Can you identify with this regarding your experience? The pain feels real because we are close to the incident and get caught up in negative thoughts and emotions.
The good news is that several therapies, such as ACT and CBT, focus on accepting and…
