We naturally wish that some people would behave differently, but Rick Hanson suggests that continually struggling against who someone is can lead to anger, judgment, and frustration.
Instead, he encourages practicing acceptance, which means acknowledging the reality of another person while still allowing ourselves to disagree, set boundaries, make requests, or take action when needed.
Key Takeaways:
- Acceptance isn’t approval: You can accept the reality of who someone is while still disagreeing with their actions.
- Notice the struggle: Resisting another person may create its own layer of frustration and distress.
- Let go of the entanglement: Hanson invites us to notice what happens when we loosen our efforts to change someone else.
- Consider acceptance as a gift: Feeling fully accepted can change the quality of a relationship for both people.
Rick Hanson offers small, simple practices for Resilience and Happiness
