cancel
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Share your quitting journey

What Does Acceptance Mean?

Barb102
Member
8 12 145

Acceptance means that we can find peace with ourselves. In order to accomplish true acceptance, we must totally let go of our past. We must let go of all mistakes and stop having regrets. This is the only way that we can move forward into the present. This is the only way that we will appreciate the opportunities of the future. 

Life is is not always easy.  It’s through the difficult times that we gain our strength and courage. We learn to make new dreams and gain new hope in our current lives.  

Acceptance also teaches us forgiveness, in others, as well as in ourselves. Too often we find forgiveness for the mistakes of others, but not for ourselves.  We can be a harsher judge on our selves than we are on others. We are not and never will be perfect. That is a fact. The best way to overcome our imperfections is through acceptance.

Acceptance is a very long, sometimes difficult road, to finding peace. The past should be like what the wonderful EXers taught me to “take what you need and let go of the rest” .

Acceptance is believing that although you may not have always done what was best, you learned from it. They say true character isn’t formed when you are at your best. I believe it’s formed when you learn from your mistakes and become a better person.

I accept whatever life throws my way. I am encouraged by the fact that acceptance is a great defense and a great way to help us to believe in ourselves, as well as believing in others. 

I know now that I accept my imperfections as they are a part of who I am.

We we can find peace and serenity in acceptance.

I hope you accept yourselves and find joy and peace that will continue throughout your lifetime.

12 Comments
indingrl
Member

What acceptance means to ME - Thanks for sharing YOUR acceptance of YOUR self - it gives ME great comfort and HOPE - I am progressing under God's construction teaching ME to accept - MY body at 225lbs - TODAY - please - I am talking about ME not anyone else - please take what HELPS and let go of the rest - to be HELPFUL is MY only aim - thank you - I ain't gonna use MY DRUG NICOTINE to escape MY CHOICES and consequences of eating emotionally over - I am NOT accepting MY life at this time and I am miserable - I keep praying and exercising and choosing portions of HEALTHY eating - reading other's experience of self discipline to deal with emotions etc - YET these DAYS - MY attitude is poor - I been dealing with MY emotionally immaturity day by day some good some bad- throughout MY recovery life for 32 YEARS working on ME and my inside attitude about God and MY relationship with HIM and yes I got professional help and YES i have a support group and YES I know that acceptance is the key to MY freedom from MY self pity POT - I poop and I flush the toilet and accept -  MY FACT - that I am exactly where God wants ME to be FREE from NICOTINE and keep one foot in front of the other and ask MY self - if I am hungry then eat IF not don't eat  or ask MYSELF - am I just being emotional because I am living in fear of the unknown -finding out MY ROOT cause for ME to accept and live in peace with God is a tough struggle for ME today - acceptance is easy to READ - yet for ME - I am fighting God because I WANT MY daughter to live yet the acceptance is thats ALL on MY daughter! Because it is her LIFE- when the tire meets the road - I run to food - MY emotionally eating - FACT I AM accepting MY powerlessness to SAVE OR CURE OR CHANGE OR CONTROL ANYONE - I am accepting the FACT - that there is a GOD and I ain't him - now - if I would CHOOSE to stop eating over the FACTS I will lose weight  by accepting -  GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL - he knows ALL about MY daughter's liver - He knows all about ME and MY pride that thinks I know better than HIM - God understands ME and YES HE knew me when HE chose ME in Christ Jesus My Lord and I am accepting that MY eating emotional to comfort myself and I will keep practicing to let go and let God and to live and let live  - yahooooooo that I don't SMOKE to cope TODAY or run away from MYSELF - I say to YOU Barb102 it is a tough TRUTH for ME - thanks for teaching ME to accept MY REALITY at this moment in MY day - I am getting off the cross because their gonna use the wood for another project - or I can accept to keep eating myself to die of obesity or GET OFF THE POT and - live in MY solution - acceptance is the answer to ALL MY problems today - if I find some person place thing or situation - some FACT of MY life unacceptable to ME - I can find no SERENITY until I accept that person place thing or situation being exactly as God wants it because absolutely NOTHING happens in God's world by mistske - read that in the book of Alcoholics Anonymous in 1986 - hmmmmmmmm - page 417 in the 4th edition- oh MY it is still working today 2019 HOORAY FOR JESUS!"Thanks for the memory Barb102 and for your teaching that keeps me learning and growing and HEALING in MY Lord Jesus name amen- gentle hug❤

sweetplt
Member

Hi Barb...This post is excellent...Barb102 ... everything in life comes down to acceptance...for me it is to accept God's will...I am a work in progress Barb...but I must say since turning 54 years old...I definitely am doing better at accepting me for the good, the bad and the perfections and imperfections...This addiction comes down to "letting go of the blame game" that I am an addict...but I quit...and I accept I can never be a smoker again...I accept this new and wonderful life...so that is good...but as a women I am hard on me...and I want to get better at "liking me"...I read something the other day..."...what you would tell a friend, we should tell ourselves"...we are usually kinder to others then we are to ourselves...thank you for sharing your thoughts...they truly hit home...(((Hugs and blessings on your surgery tomorrow))) ~ Colleen 219 DOF 

Strudel
Member

Beautiful Barbara - and so true! We can’t change our pasts - but we sure can make a difference in our lives moving forward! 

Thomas3.20.2010

For me, acceptance means embracing my humanity which gives my heart room to love my enemies - not just my friends. I grow in my Higher Power's love when I accept that I am lovable without doing anything - just because I am His child. A very thoughtful blog! Thank you!

elvan
Member

Beautiful, Barb, seriously beautiful.  This is something I find I need to work on ALL the time.  I am bookmarking this.

XOXO,

Ellen

Mandolinrain
Member

This is a lovely needed blog. Thank you for as our dear Ellen said, we ALL need reminded of this all the time.

xoxo my friend

Barbscloud
Member

Great post Barb.   "Learned(ing)  to abandon hope of a better past".

AnnetteMM
Member

I like it. We need it. Now I'm gonna add to it:

Acceptance means believing the truth when you hear it.

Posamari
Member

Thank you...... truly.

Exactly what I needed to hear this morning.

--Posamari

sweetplt
Member

Barb...Barb102  wondering how you are doing from sinus surgery? I know it isn’t a nice surgery...but hope you are home resting...gotcha in my thoughts and prayers...cyber hugs out to you ~ Colleen

Barb102
Member

Thank you Coleen. I’m home and the pain isn’t as bad today. Thank you for caring. Like quitting smoking. One day at a time to heal. 

sweetplt
Member

Take care of you hon...Barb102 will keep you in my thoughts and prayers....~ Colleen

About the Author
I’ve smoked for 40 years I have tried many times to quit This time I want my quit to last. I believe I will do it. Then I’ll live longer and better to enjoy my family,friends,pet family as well as all the things I love to do