Acceptance, Warts and All

  I’ve been looking through so many pictures over the last few weeks, reminiscing about years gone by.  My husband and I will share our 21st anniversary Friday and I guess that has put me in the mood for memory review.  I look at our pictures together throughout our entire 26 years of being a couple, and see the vast changes in both of us.  

I’m not just talking about the grey hairs, the extra pounds or the wrinkles.  I’m speaking of the differences in our energies, our beliefs, our goals and our relationship.  There’s been plenty of ups and downs; times when I didn’t know if I could stand any more happiness and others when I couldn’t see it at all.  We’ve grown up together, matured together and now at this point in our lives we fully support one another.  

As I think of our relationship, I think of what was really the driving force in our successes and our downfalls.  The love was always present, even when we were distant with one another.  I dig deeper and I find that the relationship we have with ourselves is truly the driving force on both sides of the spectrum.

When I am feeling positive about who I am and the direction I am taking, that energy rubs off on everyone around me.  When I feel pain or restriction I am on the defensive and that vibration also carries out to those within my field.  As we grow through our lessons and boundaries we move to different levels of energetics, some agree with those around us and some do not.  I believe the strongest emotion out there and the most healing is truly unconditional love.  Knowing that you love someone no matter what and accepting them with all their good and bad qualities.  

Isn’t that what life is about ?  Acceptance?  Changing what you can within yourself and accepting what you cannot?  When someone or something around you gets on your last nerve, instead of becoming angry or frustrated, try shifting your perspective.  Look at the situation with compassion.  Imagine that your best friend was relaying the situation to you.  What would your advice be?  

I remember a time in my life when I was really struggling with a betrayal.  As I spoke about it for the hundredth time to a colleague he helped me change my perspective with a simple phrase.  He said, “And can you see this person as just another struggling human being, trying to find their way?”  With those words I was able to shift my thinking to compassion and acceptance.  It brought my way of thought to removing myself from the action, not taking it personally and realizing that the betrayal was all this person’s “stuff” and I really had nothing to do with it.  It still affected me, yes.  I was still angry about it, damn straight.  BUT, I also realized on a human level that we are all finding our way, sometimes through mistakes.  The lesson was a painful one, but by shifting my perspective I was able to see the gift within the experience; I moved to a deeper level of unconditional love of self and compassion for others.

The energy of this world continues to rise on a faster rate with each moment.  Our emotions are now expressed and felt on deeper levels.  When you are in the midst of something that is bringing you down, take a breath and ask yourself why this is happening and what you are allowing.  What can you change about that and what can you accept?  The choice is yours.  

The more we struggle with issues and people, the deeper these issues become.  Look for the lesson, the gift and the spark of God within each situation and allow that energy to shift your feelings from one of struggle to one of acceptance.  It is not an easy dance to do, but with practice you can move through it gracefully.  

I am forever grateful to my husband for teaching me so many things over the years.  Tim has accepted me, and all my woo-wooness, even when he doesn’t understand.  He has pointed the mirror to me when I needed a harsh reality check, held my hand, made me laugh and stood by drying bucket loads of tears.  Through his love for me, I have come to a deeper love of self and finally learned to accept myself just as I am, warts and all.

Allow yourself the freedom of acceptance.  Change what you can and accept others for what they are.

Love & Laughter, 

Danielle

 

BIG CONGRATULATIONS TO DIANE NOLAN!!!  Diane won the drawing for the book and channeled message.  Thanks to everyone who participated.