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If anyone’s struggling with the concept of acceptance

Discussion in 'General Discussion Subforum' started by m8888888, Feb 2, 2023.

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  1. m8888888

    m8888888 Peer Supporter

    Don’t post here a lot but I stumbled across this exert from Alan Watts and had a bit of a lightbulb moment:



    As someone who’s been struggling with the concept of “not fighting” my anxiety/TMS for a long while now, something about the way he phrased things here really hit home for me. A major mistake I’ve been making is thinking that I had to make myself less resistant in some way. If I was suffering inside while telling myself I was accepting the pain, I was doing something wrong, when actual fact it’s the unwillingness to feel this way inside while experiencing the symptoms which continues to fuel the fire.

    True acceptance means allowing yourself to feel any reaction to these symptoms while continuing your life as normal as possible.

    If you feel terrified, you feel terrified.
    If you feel annoyed, you feel annoyed.
    If you feel like your mind is running a million miles a hour in panic mode. Its running a million miles a hour in panic mode.

    These internal reactions are overwhelming at times but mostly out of our control. Trying to change them in any way will only worsen things.

    Your nervous system needs time to desensitise and it’ll only get there if you continue to live your life regardless of the pain and the internal reactions that come along with it.

    Oh and whatever you do, don’t turn acceptance into a technique. It’ll only become yet another obsession. Just bring whatever you feel along for the ride and soon you’ll be free.
     
    Last edited: Feb 2, 2023
    cain aven, backhand and JanAtheCPA like this.
  2. JanAtheCPA

    JanAtheCPA Beloved Grand Eagle

    Good find, @m8888888, thanks for posting it! I particularly appreciate that you added your thoughts and comments - too often outside links are posted with no context.

    It's only 16 minutes long, folks, and very suitable for listening only. I think it's meant to be rather meditative, in fact, with soothing background music and scenery, along with concrete advice about changing the way we think when we are in physical and emotional pain. Good resource to revisit regularly.
     
  3. Sharada Devi

    Sharada Devi New Member

    I found this really up lifting. A strong affirmation of what those of us here know to be true. It was a little long and pedantic, but I enjoyed it.
     

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