Acceptance

So how do you go about enjoying life when your environment and/or the people in your life are not the way you want them to be? It's the riddle of the universe, right? No, actually it isn't. Centuries ago, wise people found the answer to this question, told people, wrote books, etc. The answer is, of course, acceptance.

So, how do you do that? Well, let's pretend you're outside and the temperature is 102 degrees. If your mind does what most mind's do, you start thinking about how hot it is and how miserable you are. You notice how much you're sweating and how much you hate how you feel. If anybody else is around, you complain to them about how miserable you are and how awful it is. They will usually agree with you, and the two of you can talk about this incessantly. You may have noticed that none of this makes you any less miserable.

OR you could start thinking about the fact that it's always hot in the summer and fighting the weather is a waste of time and energy. You could then think about what you're doing out in the heat - do you have a good reason? If not, get out of the heat. If so, focus on your reason instead of your discomfort while making yourself as comfortable as you can. If you knew you were going to be outside, did you bring a towel to wipe sweat? Did you bring a cloth and some ice to cool off with? Are you wearing a broad brimmed hat to keep your head cool? Can you get in the shade?

If you're only outside while you're walking from an air-conditioned building to your car, ask yourself if you really are so wimpy that you can't take a few seconds of heat. Have you ever sat in a sauna to open your pores? Maybe you can use this few moments of heat for the good it can do your body - just like a sauna. Maybe you're dreading getting in the hot car. Do you have a sunshield for your car? Did you crack a window? Did you look for a shady place to park? Maybe you could start your car, go back inside and wait until the air-conditioning cools the car a bit.

Summary - Acceptance means not fighting the things you have no control over and doing the things you can to make the situation better (or even using the situation for good).

You can't really have the life of your dreams if you can't be happy when things aren't going your way. In life things will frequently not go your way. Don't wait to be happy; be happy anyway!