Once upon a time, I was given the instructions to “always follow my Heart in all ways”. That was around 1980 which is almost 40 years ago. I have been listening to my heart ever since beginning with the key “A is for acceptance” which begins my kindness alphabet.
Here is my plan as of today. I am going to share what I have learned from listening to and following my Heart. I am planning to do it in 26 blog posts and coloring pages over the course of a year. The content is what I have learned from my Heart, what I have learned to practice and what I teach my counseling clients. I am calling it the Kindness Alphabet project because kindness is love in action. My plan is to spend the next year posting one blog every two weeks…unless of course I get inspired to move through the alphabet faster! But out of kindness to myself, I have decided to plan one every other week to include a coloring page and a blog about what I have learned. I think I will move through the alphabet in alphabetical order….unless of course my Heart has other ideas!
My Heart is poised to write and draw and color…
Beginning with A and “acceptance” seems like an unlikely place to start because often “accepting” what has happened is usually a goal of adjusting to loss and not a normally beginning place.
This quote from Michael Fox says it well: “Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.”
I first learned about “acceptance” through living through and then studying the process of grieving. Most people learned to label and dissect the stages of Grief using the Kubler-Ross model which includes Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance. I have used and taught this basic concept in my many years of grief counseling. It is a simple basis that has been expanded and explored by many others. It is also not a linear process but a real and moving flow of heart, mind, emotions and soul. Acceptance can begin to occur and grow at any point.
“The first law of Spirit is acceptance. This is one of the most important principles in the unfolding of spiritual awareness. Acceptance asks you to accept any situation as it is and to accept yourself as you are. You accept what is. The law of acceptance is actually very logical: when you set aside your feelings and thoughts and negative fantasies, what is, is all that’s going on.” John-Roger.
Acceptance is not the final goal of grieving as much as it is being present in the moment of now and acknowledging the truth of what has happened, is happening, may continue to happen. In that moment of acceptance, we are freed to begin the next steps of the process and change can begin.
It can be difficult sometimes to discern what to accept. Denial is a natural human protection in the grieving process, not a conscious choice.
Acceptance is not approval.
Acceptance does not mean “liking” or “approving” of it or the situation.
Acceptance is just acknowledging “what is” that is actually happening now.
The key of moving into acceptance frees you up to consciously choose how to cooperate in the situation to avoid, protect, adjust, move on…whatever you then choose. Acceptance is the beginning of the Kindness Alphabet. Listen to your Heart and the alphabet of kindness.
click on this link to download the free and printable coloring page pdf !
I-AM-ACCEPTING-WHAT-IS COLORING PAGE
A has a few other key steps towards kindness to self. After acceptance, “acknowledge” what you have accomplished and “affirm” the intentions and directions of your heart for your future journey.
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Love this. My favorite words that help me to be accepting: ‘It is what it is’. Otherwise there’s just needless struggle.
This is fantastic!!! I’m going to pass this on to my daughters- not only for themselves, but for their kids.
Thank you so very much, Susan!