Rule 02
Accept the thing you cannot change. Have the courage to change what you can. And the wisdom to know the difference.
This beautiful excerpt from the Serenity Prayer is a simple but profound lesson on the path of happiness.
Acceptance of our circumstances is not the same a resignation. Resignation is a passive state that comes with a sense of defeat, powerlessness, hopelessness, giving up and an incapacity to create change. It leaves you with negative emotions like anger, frustration, fear and despondency. Whereas, acceptance is a more active experience of acknowledging the reality, validating the feelings that come from it, recognising what you can or can not control about it, and asking for help and support, if needed.
The next part is about having the courage to create whatever change that you can, which often many people lack. You may crib or be unhappy, but do you also actively push for change? And most importantly, there is a fine line between foolishness and courage. For example, if a frail young woman is held at gunpoint by a big, burly, trigger-happy lunatic and she decided to slap him, is that courage or foolishness? Wisdom helps us to know the difference.
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