As we approach the end of 2009, I thought about what it would take to include all of it, both the good and the bad, and the practice of acceptance came to mind.

I think acceptance is one of those greatly misunderstood words. In many people’s ears, it sounds like a passive way of being, and is often mistaken for resignation or submission. It is neither. Resignation is a state of giving up. Submission is a state of yielding to an authority or giving in to a group’s way of thinking. 

Acceptance is the action of being with what is happening or with what has occurred. It’s the action of being with people and points of view. Listening is a form of acceptance. You can accept what someone is saying without agreeing to it. 

Acceptance brings with it awareness and is a very powerful practice.

There’s an old saying that what you resist, persists. The more attention and focus we place on resisting what is happening, the bigger it gets. Whether the “it” is a person, a group, or the circumstances of our lives.

Some people have the notion that you first must be upset with how you are, or what’s happening, in order to change. I think the first step to changing anything is to accept both yourself and how it is, right now. The act of acceptance brings you present. You give up any resignation that things won’t change, and also give up pretending that things are different from how they are.

In that moment of acceptance something shifts. A window of awareness opens not only to see what is, but also to see what’s possible. You accept first, and then you act.

This is the time of the year we often look back and assess the year in terms of what we did and didn’t do, and what needs to change. It’s a great time to stop and accept where you are in the process of life. In the moment between acceptance of 2009 and planning for 2010, allow a feeling of gratitude to enter your heart and mind for what you’ve been given, and what you’ve achieved. Even if 2009 was less than perfect, you’re still here to create something new in 2010. The few remaining days in 2009 give us an opportunity to move into acceptance so we don’t carry over any regrets into the new year. 

The practice is simple. Just notice when you’re resisting what is. Pay attention to what happens when you simply observe those thoughts rather than act on them. Take a deep breath, and notice what happens to the resistance.

This practice of acceptance assisted me this last week as I was hit by the flu. I could resist it as much as I wanted, and I still had the flu. Acceptance meant giving my body the time it needed to heal with rest and lots of hot tea. This experience reminded me to embrace the conditions of my life with acceptance instead of resistance, so I can take new action with complete peace of mind.

My son called to tell me that there will be a blue moon on December 31, 2009. He’s going to take some time to reflect on his goals for 2010 during this special, once in a blue moon, occurrence. What a great idea to use this remarkable event to accept 2009 as part of the fabric of our lives, and invite in what we want for 2010, leaving room for some new and unexpected good!

Thank you for making our 2009 memorable with your readership and support. All of us at one-now.com wish you a prosperous and beneficial New Year.

My love goes with you as you engage in the practice of acceptance.