RADICAL ACCEPTANCE is the skill that clients commonly identify as the most life-changing skill for them.
The concept is rather simple. We accept the things that we cannot change (or accept things as they are right now — even if we plan to change them) without using language that conveys non-acceptance such as “Why is this happening?” “It shouldn’t be this way,” or “I wish this never would have happened.”
Sometimes there is confusion about what it means to accept. Radically accepting something does not mean that we like it or that it is OK. It just means that we stop fighting reality.
Reality does not change whether we accept it or not. Reality is as it is.
If something that we care about is damaged, we can accept that it is damaged and then go about repairing or replacing it without unnecessary anger or resentment.
We can also choose not to accept it and then get ourselves worked up, angry, and resentful. We may become ineffective with other responsibilities and relationships.
The situation does not change whether we accept it or not. However, we are vastly different in the two scenarios. A lot of energy, emotion, and time is unnecessarily expended when we practice non-acceptance.
Acceptance is a choice to let go of willfulness, blame, resentment, and anger. Freedom ensues.