Grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I
can,
and the wisdom to know the
difference.
We’ve all seen & heard this before. It’s the foundation for any 12-step program,
and in some form or another, it’s really at the core of any self-improvement
plan. Unfortunately, it’s not always as
easy as it sounds.
I usually focus on that second part: changing the things I can.
Whether it’s actually doing something different or simply finding a different
way to approach things, I feel like I’m doing something constructive. At a minimum, I can always change the way I
think about the situation. I emphasize
the positives – what’s still good in my life when things seem to be going bad,
what I still have when I’m grieving over a loss, and what still makes me smile
when I am ready to cry.
It’s that first part that I’m struggling with right now: accepting
the things I cannot change. Whether
it’s denial, wishful thinking, or just plain stubbornness, I’m having a really hard
time accepting my new reality. Honestly,
it’s hard enough to just say it. I find euphemisms, or don’t even say it at
all.
