I recently had to go to my nail salon to pick up my glasses I had left on my last visit. I live next to a large Jewish community, and the salon is always full of lovely Jewish woman talking loudly about their lives. (Sometimes, I feel like I’m in the middle of an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Mazel while I’m sitting there getting my nails done and listening to everyone.) As I was standing inside the door asking about my glasses, a nice, older Jewish woman walked past me as she was leaving and said, “Those boots are fabulous!” I was wearing my Tiffany Blue/turquoise cowboy boots with flowers on them. I said, “Oh, thank you,” and made my way to the lost and found wall where there was quite a collection of reading glasses that had been left.
I found mine, thanked the staff and went to my car. I got in, turned it on and rolled the windows down. My radio was blasting 80s New Wave music, but I could hear that someone outside was talking to me. I turned the radio down, and the same lady said, “I’m slow. So, I’ll just stand here until you leave.” (I must have parked right beside her.) I said, “Oh, OK.” She looked at me through the open window of my BMW and said, “You have a great life!” I responded, “Oh, thank you so much! You too!” I think that was the first time in my life that someone I had never seen before wished me a great life. Was she an angel sent to encourage me that day? Anything is possible, as far as I’m concerned. I just know that her words were really powerful and got my attention. Actually, I really needed to hear that encouragement on that day.
I realize that some people may look at me and think I have a great life — and in many ways, I do. I’m grateful for what I do have, but it isn’t the life I’ve always dreamed about — at least not yet. I’ve come to the conclusion that we have to get through the grieving process. We really have to grieve the perceived losses in life to get to a place of acceptance. It’s the last step in the grieving process, and the only place from which we can make healthy decisions for change.
Merriam-Webster defines the root word accept as “endure without protest or reaction; to recognize as true.” Personally, I don’t think acceptance means that we have to like what is, but we have to acknowledge that it is what it is and be alright with it and not let it bother us. In her book The Language of Letting Go, Melody Beattie wrote that you should tell yourself, “I know this is exactly the way it’s supposed to be for the moment.” That’s a very freeing statement that comes with a lot of hope in the way I read it. Accepting yourself and your situation, knowing that it is only momentary and that you give it your full permission and faith to change in a positive way is very empowering.
We have such a limited view of things in any given moment. We don’t have the luxury we have when watching a movie or TV show. We can’t see what’s happening in the lives of everyone around us, what they are thinking or telling others. We just don’t know what’s really going on, but we can hold on to the hope that all things are working together for our highest good [Romans 8:28]. I have a coffee mug sitting on my kitchen counter to force myself to look at it every day and remind myself of its words, “With God, all things are possible –Matthew 19:2.” It doesn’t matter if you consider yourself religious — I truly believe that God (as you know it) created the universe and can help you manifest anything. All things are possible, if you only believe.
Senée Seale is a book author, mental health professional and life guide passionate about helping people create positive changes in their lives and relationships. Are you ready to start attracting positive things into your life through practicing daily affirmations? Get your free copy of The Princes Guide to Gratitude Affirmations. If you’d like to work directly with Senée, she’s accepting new coaching and counseling clients.
