A VIRTUE is a positive character trait that is considers a foundation for living well, and a key ingredient to greatness.

For some, the word “virtue” may have a bit of a Victorian Puritanism associated with it. This is not my understanding of it, nor is this the spirit of this article.

Rather, a virtue is a personal asset, a shield to protect us from difficulty, trouble, and suffering. Each virtue is a special sort of “power” that enables us to experience a level of well-being that we wouldn’t be able to access otherwise. Indeed, “virtue “comes from the Latin virtus (force, worth, power).

A PRAYER FOR THE VIRTUE OF ACCEPTANCE

Dear God, please help me to love myself, Treat myself well And know that I deserve to receive love, Help and goodness, as much as everyone else. Give me the courage, dear Lord, to ask for and accept help from others.

A stress free life has become a target to be achieved in Present era. Being well equipped with all the materialism has rather added to the intensity of stress. Stress is nothing but a depressed state of mind in which the mind is unable to work freely without any external influences or say the creativity of the mind seems too buried under negative influences of the outer world. Our decisions get biased which add to the sufferings of the victim. Acceptance is the only antidote to stress. The world has to proceed in its own way. Everyone has own set of beliefs and tendencies owing their origin to the set of circumstances they have gone through. It is possible that the suffering one experience following a certain path may not be experienced by us but this doesn’t mean that the person responding to a certain situation in a way not liked by us is wrong. We just need to fit ourselves in their frame and try to think what we would have done if we had stuck in the same situation. Only then we'll be able to better understand others and accept them the way they are. Every person on this earth is always right at his place and they justify their actions on the grounds of their past experiences. If we understand this basic concept, only then we can free ourselves from the shackles of jealousy, anger and depression.

HOW TO PRACTICE ACCEPTANCE

BEING MINDFUL OF A VIRTUE EACH DAY WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD AND OURS.

• Read this card each morning.

• At the end of each day takes five minutes to reflect on your behavior in regard to this virtue.

• Acknowledge yourself for how you displayed this virtue, or if you had the opportunity to practice the virtue and didn’t, then ask yourself what you would do differently next time – use it as learning.

• You will find that over time you become much more in control of your feelings & emotions and grow emotionally, intellectually & spiritually stronger day by day.

When a person has attained the virtue of acceptance, they exercise other virtues, too, like awareness, generosity, consideration, flexibility, forgiveness, tolerance, forbearance, supportiveness, understanding, patience, trust, trustworthiness, love and compassion.

ACCEPTANCE AS A VIRTUE HAS TWO ENVIRONMENTAL FACETS. ONE IS AN ACCEPTANCE OF PEOPLE; THE OTHER IS AN ACCEPTANCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

• PRACTICING ACCEPTANCE WITH PEOPLE IS SYNONYMOUS WITH PRACTICING LOVE. It’s accepting a person regardless of what they have done. When a person practices acceptance of another person, the other person feels acknowledged and adequate. It’s like a boost of confidence and self-assurance. Acceptance builds self-esteem. Acceptance embraces.

• ACCEPTANCE OF CIRCUMSTANCES IS ACCOMPLISHABLE BY BEING ABLE TO SEE THINGS FROM MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES and understanding that there are always aspects that remain unseen. This understanding allows the person peace of mind, and a gentle and generous nature. They are foreseeing and forgiving. They are like a well-rooted tree in a storm, sure and steadfast. They face adversity calmly with avid trust and confidence.

• A PERSON WHO PRACTICES ACCEPTANCE DOES NOT WASTE ENERGY ON RESISTANCE OR FIGHTING. This person sees the end in the beginning, and sees present circumstances as transitional. They see all people as a part of the whole, and every person is equal to the next. Differences do not vex a person who has mastered acceptance. On the contrary, an accepting person appreciates differences. They are undisturbed by happenings in the world and differences in opinion. They understand that truth always rises to the surface. The virtue of acceptance is not synonymous with apathy or indifference. It does not mean that a person does not have an opinion. Rather, it recognizes a time and a place for everything. Acceptance is active, positive energy.

• ACCEPTANCE IS LIKE ACQUIESCENCE. The summer acquiesces to the fall. The fall to the winter, and the winter to the spring. Acquiescence is recognition of the transitional, changing nature of all things. It knows that everything that happens contains a lesson, however wrong or meaningless it may seem at the time.

• WITHOUT ACCEPTANCE, WITHOUT ACQUIESCENCE, A PERSON who reluctantly resigns to circumstances and people harbors resentment and impatience. This causes a person to become apathetic and to feel helpless and disappointed. These feelings can fester and come out in different forms, such as passive aggressive behavior.

• ACCEPTANCE REQUIRES PERCEPTION WITH FREEDOM FROM BIAS, and an ability to see reality and not despise it. In this recognition, people will do what comes natural to them, but without acting forcefully. It can be likened unto a moderator. It neutralizes disdain and counterbalances hate. It balances unstable emotions. It calms.

• PRACTICING ACCEPTANCE YIELDS THE ABILITY TO BE NON-REACTIVE AND NON-DEFENSIVE. It causes people to think before they act and consider long-reaching, smarter, more effective and efficient responses to people and circumstances. Acceptance allows things to transpire naturally.

• ACCEPTANCE DISPUTES DENIAL. It forces us to accept the reality of our situation. It causes us to respond to an unwanted situation with, “Alright. I didn’t want this to happen, but it did. This is where I am now.” Accepting present conditions provides a place from which to move forward.

• ACCEPTANCE PREVENTS RESENTMENT. When a person is unable to accept something or someone, it is often because of a personal preconception. If another person does something that someone has preconceived as being negative, it can cause that someone to begin to feel resentment towards the other person and may even result in aggression. Looking at positive aspects of the person or situation can help turn reluctance to accept into acceptance.

• ACCEPTANCE ENCOMPASSES SELF-ACCEPTANCE without allowing self-pity or becoming defined by traumatic events. Acceptance helps us move forward from where we are and who we are.