Life is difficult. Acceptance is the remedy. 

Acceptance is both powerful and healing because when we accept the problem to be real…a pandemic…a lost election..a changing work environment…we are able to move with courage and wisdom into problem solving mode.

The 2020 theme of identity continues with my exploration of who we are and who we want to be. Furthermore, accepting who we are is the first step to loving who we are and ultimately being who we really are.

In the Kickass Koach podcast episode dropped November 30th, I look at how acceptance is the most efficient way to turn difficulties into learning and growth,

For the newsletter, I explore life’s challenges including a life-threatening illness I survived in my 20’s, ultimately landing on a colleague’s reminder that our brain expands and grows with more and more novel experiences. Moreover, it isn’t in the challenge it self, but in the reflections and narratives we build around it, that we grow and learn.

Finally, in this post I explore why accepting life for what it is matters. Getting used to it and growing from it.

Life is Difficult – Get Used to It

Life is Difficult – Why Accepting this Matters

Acceptance is a powerful mental state.  It is a life lesson worth learning for many aspects of our life. We have limited processing capacity. When we hold on to disappointments, loses or even failures we are unable to focus appropriately or adequately on other related or unrelated matters.

I’ve encountered a few interesting inconveniences over the pandemic. First, during the initial lock-down my fridge broke-down. It felt like a daunting task. Secondly, my business took a surprise revenue hit. Thirdly, my 90-year-old mother required support. Finally, just as the second wave evolved into a “stay-at-home” emergency declaration, my kitchen faucet broke-off in my hands, requiring immediate replacement. None of these are unmanageable situations. Although, all-together in a pandemic they felt overwhelming.

First, the fridge. Once I reached out to my community for help, I quickly found a solution. In fact, it worked out better than I ever expected. For my business and revenue losses, I contacted my network and found a unique way to use my skills and expertise with contracts I hadn’t previously considered. Additionally, I reviewed my investments and retirement plan as I sought new revenue streams and strengthened them as a result. I worked on options with my sisters to find solutions for my mother. Ultimately, we designed a system that worked well. As for the broken faucet, in the past hour the plumber completed the installation of my new faucet.

I lived without a proper kitchen faucet for the past five days and I was quite frustrated and even annoyed by the delay in receiving the parts. Interestingly, on Wednesday afternoon I decided to just accept it may take a week or more. I leaned into the work-around I had designed. Two hours later, I got an email saying the parts were shipped, which was a week earlier than it projected. The delivery came in yesterday and the plumber came out this morning. The feeling of acceptance made a noticeable different to my emotions on Wednesday and I intend to use this as a reminder as I carry on throughout this pandemic.

Life is one big Experiment

An experimental, iterative, approach to life is a recognition that truth is found in the act of seeking. Moreover, when we rigorously work to overcome challenges our life experience guides us. As John Dewey says, education is life itself. We learn from reflecting on our experiences. Ultimately, this is an experimental approach.

Continuous learning and fresh insights are the goal of the experimental approach. What will the evidence teach us? Moreover, this approach is generative in addition to being iterative. With an experimental collaborative approach, we may find progress is faster and we go further.  In collaboration we can crack this, but only together with a willingness to learn and honour the data and the stories will we arrive where we seek to go.

We may be capable of more closely monitoring and learning from our choices and decisions and build capacity to adjust our actions to meet the current situation. Then, we may influence how things unfold. There’s a difference between wanting something and making something happen. With the mindset necessary to perform under pressure, we’re able to influence results more deeply. Moreover, this mindset that relies on clarity, curiosity and a resilient spirit we accept no excuses, only meaningful results. Furthermore, it’s essential we learn to evaluate the risk of any action, removing the very human emotions that cloud our judgment.

Walk with me.

Together let’s examine options consciously and authentically to make choices that move us strategically toward where we want to be.  Therefore, where my client wants to go, is my paramount focus. Strategy is a about choices. Execution on these choices requires masterful performance. Furthermore, a well-developed process allows us to enjoy the journey far more fully

Be part of the journey in 2020.

Start by subscribing to my mailing list . Subscribers receive:

1. My interactive exercise to begin reducing the impacts of stress and feelings of overwhelm will be sent.
2. My newsletter with the related podcast episode will be sent weekly.
3. Special offers will be available to subscribers monthly including: a random offer of a complimentary one hour coaching conversation, access to roundtable engagements and group coaching on identity and related subjects, as well as information on an initiative on which I’m collaborating: #FeMasCon.

Life’s Difficulties Overcome by Banking (Y)Our Impact (BYI) 

The Bank Your Impact (BYI) System is about both developing and embedding self-awareness. Furthermore, the benefits of expanded resilience, connections built on understanding the impact of belonging and an ability to bolster a professional and authentic presence are foundational. Perhaps more than the other two, developing a foundational resilience is critical to with standing that which moves us into burnout.

Walk with Me!