Sedona Hutton's Blog - Posts Tagged "acceptance"
Accepting What Is (Even the Flu!)
Today's blog is a guest post on Leonard Tillerman's website: https://bit.ly/2RKQIe8 Accepting What Is (Even the Flu!) by @SedonaHutton Recommended for those looking to find that elusive inner peace!
Last week I came down with the flu. I had hot and cold flashes, a sore throat, a runny nose…the whole gamut. In my miserable state, I attempted to think positive thoughts to will away my sickness, but my body mocked my best efforts.
Resigned, I stayed in bed for a couple of days. When I finally summoned a smidgeon of energy, a new awareness emerged. It felt good to rest!
For many of us, November and December are busy months. I’ve been visiting kids and grandkids, working, writing, decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping…the list goes on and on. In the middle of my hustle-bustle, at the most inconvenient time, I got sick.
When I told my mother I had the flu, her response was simple. “Maybe your body just needs rest.”
Huh.
Pondering the idea that I’d caught the flu because my body recognized my need for rest, the concept of acceptance surfaced. It’s easy to practice acceptance when things are going my way. It’s much harder to accept what is when things aren’t as I want them to be. But perhaps practicing acceptance is every bit as important—maybe even more important—during challenging times.
In one of my favorite books, The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to acceptance. Simon states: “When you resist what is happening in this moment, you are resisting the entire flow of life. I encourage you to practice acceptance of this moment, because considering what you are up against (the entire universe from the beginning of time), resistance is unlikely to be successful.”
Instead, Simon suggests accepting what is in every moment. Accepting what is doesn’t mean you want to stay where you are, nor does it mean you shouldn’t take action. However, when you acknowledge and accept where you are, it creates an opening for new ideas and alternative choices that can help you move toward that which you desire.
In the past, I’ve resisted my sickness. I’ve chastised myself over doing too much, eating poorly, and not exercising. I have questioned my judgment over traveling, attending a holiday party and shopping on the busiest day of the year, exposing me to countless sick people. But the self-judgment only made me feel worse.
Bemoaning our current situation or blaming ourselves or others releases negative energy and attracts more of the same. Instead of resisting what is, practice acceptance, which allows for a positive energy shift. If you don’t like what is, determine if there are alternatives or steps that will help you achieve your desired state. Practicing acceptance brings inner peace.
“Accept—then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it…This will miraculously transform your entire life.”—Eckhart Tolle
Going forward, instead of beating myself up, I’m going to practice acceptance. I will accept my flu, cold, or whatever bug I might have, without blame. Instead, I’m going to view my illness as a gift of rest, relaxation, and detox.
“If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is the quiet acceptance of what is.”—Wayne Dyer
To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s blog newsletter, tap this link: https://www.sedonahutton.com/
Nora’s Promise, a contemporary romance with new age twists: She trusts animals more than men. He runs through women like tires. Can one orphaned boy force them to change gears? Tap the link to buy the book today! https://amzn.to/2OktquX
Last week I came down with the flu. I had hot and cold flashes, a sore throat, a runny nose…the whole gamut. In my miserable state, I attempted to think positive thoughts to will away my sickness, but my body mocked my best efforts.
Resigned, I stayed in bed for a couple of days. When I finally summoned a smidgeon of energy, a new awareness emerged. It felt good to rest!
For many of us, November and December are busy months. I’ve been visiting kids and grandkids, working, writing, decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping…the list goes on and on. In the middle of my hustle-bustle, at the most inconvenient time, I got sick.
When I told my mother I had the flu, her response was simple. “Maybe your body just needs rest.”
Huh.
Pondering the idea that I’d caught the flu because my body recognized my need for rest, the concept of acceptance surfaced. It’s easy to practice acceptance when things are going my way. It’s much harder to accept what is when things aren’t as I want them to be. But perhaps practicing acceptance is every bit as important—maybe even more important—during challenging times.
In one of my favorite books, The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon, there’s an entire chapter dedicated to acceptance. Simon states: “When you resist what is happening in this moment, you are resisting the entire flow of life. I encourage you to practice acceptance of this moment, because considering what you are up against (the entire universe from the beginning of time), resistance is unlikely to be successful.”
Instead, Simon suggests accepting what is in every moment. Accepting what is doesn’t mean you want to stay where you are, nor does it mean you shouldn’t take action. However, when you acknowledge and accept where you are, it creates an opening for new ideas and alternative choices that can help you move toward that which you desire.
In the past, I’ve resisted my sickness. I’ve chastised myself over doing too much, eating poorly, and not exercising. I have questioned my judgment over traveling, attending a holiday party and shopping on the busiest day of the year, exposing me to countless sick people. But the self-judgment only made me feel worse.
Bemoaning our current situation or blaming ourselves or others releases negative energy and attracts more of the same. Instead of resisting what is, practice acceptance, which allows for a positive energy shift. If you don’t like what is, determine if there are alternatives or steps that will help you achieve your desired state. Practicing acceptance brings inner peace.
“Accept—then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it…This will miraculously transform your entire life.”—Eckhart Tolle
Going forward, instead of beating myself up, I’m going to practice acceptance. I will accept my flu, cold, or whatever bug I might have, without blame. Instead, I’m going to view my illness as a gift of rest, relaxation, and detox.
“If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is the quiet acceptance of what is.”—Wayne Dyer
To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s blog newsletter, tap this link: https://www.sedonahutton.com/
Nora’s Promise, a contemporary romance with new age twists: She trusts animals more than men. He runs through women like tires. Can one orphaned boy force them to change gears? Tap the link to buy the book today! https://amzn.to/2OktquX
Everyone’s Doing The Best They Can
“Everyone’s doing their best at every moment based upon their current state of consciousness,” Dr. David Simon, The Ten Commitments
I was introduced to this concept while studying for my meditation certification at The Chopra Center. It resonated with me so deeply that I included the idea in one of my novels, The Perfect Lap.
In The Perfect Lap, AJ Ryan’s granddad teaches him that “everyone’s doing the best they can from where they are.” AJ listens, but he doesn’t understand what it means until he meets Clare, the mother of the children he’s co-fostering.
So what does this statement mean?
We’re all on our own unique paths in life. We got where we are through a series of experiences, beliefs, and choices. Because we’ve all had different life experiences, we’re all in different places along our path.
We evaluate situations through our lens of experiences, and it’s natural to judge others through this lens as well. The old adage, “Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” is fitting. We all too often make judgments based on what we perceive on the surface. Another piece of wisdom I learned from Dr. Simon is that “everyone has a story.” Without knowing a person’s background, experiences and choices…without “walking a mile in their shoes,” it’s impossible to truly understand their story.
“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.”—Jiddu Krishnamurti
In The Perfect Lap, Clare appears to be a bad mother. She smokes, drinks, and leaves her young children home alone for days on end. Like everyone, Clare has a story. After AJ and Ella get to know her and learn her story, they realize she’s made the best choices she could based on the options available to her.
I won’t give away a spoiler, however, I will note that…compassion arises from understanding a person’s story.
“Everyone may not be good, but there’s always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” —Oscar Wilde
This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of romance and women’s fiction novels with new age, spiritual twists.
The Perfect Lap—If you like bad boys with a heart of gold, strong women, and love stories with a spiritual twist, then you’ll adore this racing romance novel. Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv
Cloud Whispers—The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate… To purchase this mind-expanding, award-winning novel, click here: https://amzn.to/2Lp3b5p
To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/
Recommended Reading:
The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon: https://amzn.to/2UEH0J2
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k
Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.
I was introduced to this concept while studying for my meditation certification at The Chopra Center. It resonated with me so deeply that I included the idea in one of my novels, The Perfect Lap.
In The Perfect Lap, AJ Ryan’s granddad teaches him that “everyone’s doing the best they can from where they are.” AJ listens, but he doesn’t understand what it means until he meets Clare, the mother of the children he’s co-fostering.
So what does this statement mean?
We’re all on our own unique paths in life. We got where we are through a series of experiences, beliefs, and choices. Because we’ve all had different life experiences, we’re all in different places along our path.
We evaluate situations through our lens of experiences, and it’s natural to judge others through this lens as well. The old adage, “Don’t judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” is fitting. We all too often make judgments based on what we perceive on the surface. Another piece of wisdom I learned from Dr. Simon is that “everyone has a story.” Without knowing a person’s background, experiences and choices…without “walking a mile in their shoes,” it’s impossible to truly understand their story.
“The ability to observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.”—Jiddu Krishnamurti
In The Perfect Lap, Clare appears to be a bad mother. She smokes, drinks, and leaves her young children home alone for days on end. Like everyone, Clare has a story. After AJ and Ella get to know her and learn her story, they realize she’s made the best choices she could based on the options available to her.
I won’t give away a spoiler, however, I will note that…compassion arises from understanding a person’s story.
“Everyone may not be good, but there’s always something good in everyone. Never judge anyone shortly because every saint has a past and every sinner has a future.” —Oscar Wilde
This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of romance and women’s fiction novels with new age, spiritual twists.
The Perfect Lap—If you like bad boys with a heart of gold, strong women, and love stories with a spiritual twist, then you’ll adore this racing romance novel. Purchase link: https://amzn.to/2VkXIkv
Cloud Whispers—The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate… To purchase this mind-expanding, award-winning novel, click here: https://amzn.to/2Lp3b5p
To sign up for Sedona Hutton’s Peace, Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/
Recommended Reading:
The Ten Commitments by Dr. David Simon: https://amzn.to/2UEH0J2
The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire by Deepak Chopra: https://amzn.to/2C9BF5k
Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.
