How To Be Happy, Right Here, Right Now

How many times have you heard people put their happiness off until tomorrow? They’ll pick apart their lives because it doesn’t check off all their boxes and swear they’ll be content once they achieve a goal or acquire a certain thing. If no one has told you yet, let us be the first to say: you don’t have to wait to be happy. Your joy doesn’t have to be on standby until you make a certain salary, achieve a fitness goal, or cross off all the desires on your vision board. You can be happy now, just the way you are. How? Through a simple act called “acceptance.”

Acceptance: A Giant Step Towards Living A Fulfilling Life

Acceptance is making peace with how your life is now instead of focusing on what’s wrong or missing. It’s a conscious choice to come to terms with the reality that nothing is perfect and sometimes life is beyond our control.

People who manage to find acceptance tend to be more easy-going since their no longer burdened with the stress of going against what “is.” They view their lives realistically instead of idealistically, allowing them to navigate life more comfortably. The comfort and ease that comes from acceptance can be mind-clarifying, enabling you to make better life choices and progress in a way that’s natural without the added feelings of stress or pressure.

People who struggle with acceptance find it hard to settle; they battle feelings of unhappiness and dissatisfaction. That unhappiness comes from viewing things the way they’d like them to be and refusing to accept what’s true, making a person feel angry, helpless, or worried.

Those who lack acceptance are often guilty of one of the following traits:

• Control issues
• Denial
• Feeling victimized
• Escapism
• Insecurity

When you accept your life and its circumstances, no matter what they are, the results can be liberating.

Acceptance And The Role It Plays In Our Happiness

Acceptance is a key component of happiness and peace of mind. Accepting your reality frees you from the unnecessary pressure and stress of trying to control your life’s direction, leaving you open to whatever fate throws your way. Sure, you can dream of your perfect life and the timeline in which you’d like to achieve it, but things don’t always go according to plan, and tolerating these setbacks will have a significant impact on your health and wellness. Just think about it this way: what if the initial plan you had for your life is influenced by age or circumstance, both of which change over time? When it comes to change, it’s important to stay flexible. However, sometimes we get so caught up in being perfect that we refuse to adjust or settle, ignoring secondary options just because it’s different: but being different doesn’t always mean bad. Who knows, maybe the second option is better for you, anyway. When control, perfectionism, and improvement are no longer at the forefront of your mind, you make space for things like patience and understanding.

Submitting to your reality will inspire appreciation, giving you a sense of gratitude you miss out on when you’re resistant. By accepting your life the way it is now, you’ll be more easy-going, flexible, and easier to please. You’ll find joy in simple things, and life will become more meaningful. We’re not saying it’s easy, just that your happiness is worth it.

When In Doubt, Use Your Resources

The concept of acceptance is not new to the wellness world. Here are a few references to help people like you live a more fulfilling life:

• If you need guidance on accepting life and people the way they are, pick up Daniel A. Miller’s The Gifts Of Acceptance. Here, the author dives deep into the question, “ What would your life be like if you accepted people and things as they are?” Using examples of field research and Miller’s personal struggles with control, the author provides practical advice on accepting “What Is” and discovering “What Might Be!”
• If your lack of acceptance comes from dissatisfaction, try picking up a gratitude journal. It gives you a moment to reflect on positive things and helps you focus on where things are going right.
• If you struggle with self-acceptance, try reading affirming quotes on Pinterest. Pinterest is full of pins with affirming words and visuals encouraging you to embrace who you are. Creating a Pinterest board can be highly motivational. Here’s a colorful one for women.

The goal of acceptance is to make peace with who you are. Embrace your life and all its flaws by choosing the path of less resistance. It’s a surefire way to live a more fulfilling life.

-Kaillaby

Photo: Pexels.com