Successful Relationships Reading Corner
This week, we wrote about how acceptance is the best path to a peaceful relationship. We were delighted to find a number of articles describing and expanding on this idea.
Developing Acceptance Skills in a Relationship “Couples seeking counseling services often ask for help with their communication skills. I redirect them to begin developing acceptance skills in relationships. What nurtures and sustains loving intimate relationships is learning to relate through acceptance instead of judgment. The underlying fear that there is not enough ” _______” for me is what drives the judging, shaming, blaming and criticizing in order to try to change the self or the other so that there is more “_______” for me. This approach chases love away instead of enhancing it.”
How to Practice Radical Acceptance and Improve Your Well-being “You know what they say, sometimes you can’t solve certain problems? Don’t worry, you still have options. In fact, you have exactly four options. You can:
- Solve the problem anyway,
- Change your perception of it,
- Radically accept the situation, or
- Choose to stay miserable.”
5 Things Everyone Should Know About Acceptance “The first person to pose the idea of “acceptance” to me was my first therapist. We were discussing my relationship with my dad (cliché, I know), and she suggested I “accept” that I might never have the relationship with him I desired. I was appalled. ‘Excuse me? You’re my therapist. Aren’t you supposed to have the answers to how I can fix this?’ As I got older, I began to understand why desiring something else—something that was, for the most part, out of my control—was causing me more pain than accepting that, at least for now, this was the way it was going to be.”