Often, when I awaken, my first prayer of the day is, “Lord, please help me today to be the person whom you have created me to be.” I also know that there are so many variables that relate to who that person really is.

 God has truly blessed me with more that I could have ever imagined and provided me with more than I will ever need. Yet, too often, I find myself in a state of discontent over the disappointments that are an inevitable part of our lives. There is a desire for perfection that is inherent within me and I struggle with the pursuit of perfection which, of course, is unobtainable. I find myself questioning why a certain set of negative occurrences is stopping me from achieving what I perceive to be a reasonable expectation. As you may have figured out by now, I do not do well in traffic delays.

 The key for me to truly embrace the life that God has created for me to live is what I call,” Radical Acceptance.” What that means is a realization that inherent in our existence, along with the many blessings and gifts and positives, are disappointments, negative situations over which we have no control, and pain and suffering. When I am able to practice Radical Acceptance, I can embrace the fact that everything isn’t going to be the way that I want it to be and to cease my futile attempts to change what is beyond my ability to control. It is a way to live our lives more fully by always bringing our full attention to the present moment and accepting it for what it is. A realization that God is in everything and embracing His presence in the positive to fulfill us and the negative to soothe us.

 I am not sure whoever told me that I had the right to expect that anything or everything would be exactly as I would want it to be in the first place. If there is one thing that I have learned over the years, it is the certainty that adversity will occur, perhaps when it is most unexpected or when we are least prepared. It is our ability to deal effectively with adversity that will really enable us to be at peace and to be there for those who rely upon us.

 Radical Acceptance is the ability to realize that God has placed all the experiences in our lives, positive and negative, and for us to welcome them equally; to remember that it’s not about you; it just is what it is in the earthly existence that God has provided for us.

 When I am able to practice Radical Acceptance, I have a sense of not worrying about imperfections, either in myself, in others or in the daily situations that confront me whether they are positive or negative. I know that when I am not in a state of Radical Acceptance, my  imperfections are more apparent to me and a sense of unworthiness begins to creep in and it makes it harder to be that person whom God has created me to be.

 My ability to embrace Radical Acceptance and make it a part of my life has drawn me closer to God and to the peaceful state of mind that He has intended for me. I am even beginning to do better in traffic delays, sometimes……