“Acceptance Isn’t Agreement”: A Lesson from Chris Brogan
Normally I’m not an auditory learner and have a hard time paying attention to lectures or podcasts. In the case of the “Brave New Year” program by Chris Brogan (not an affiliate link; I purchased it for regular price), however, I was able to go through the whole thing.
I particularly like what Chris had to say about the subject of acceptance. Here’s an excerpt.
1. “Acceptance isn’t Agreement”
First, know this. Acceptance is not the same as agreeing. Acceptance just means saying, “here’s where I am.” Knowing this is a core aspect of understanding the difference.
2. “Acceptance is a Bridge”
Say you make a bad choice. Once you do, what sometimes happens is you decide to go even more down the bad path. Acceptance tells you this: STOP! Now, assess where you are. Then, get back on the path towards your goals. Accept that you messed up. Remove that excuse next time. Act for next time.
Once you lose ground, don’t give up. Just figure out where you are, find the path back, and move forward.
3. “Acceptance Comes Before Forgiveness”
Before you can move past where you’ve been and where you are, you have to accept where you are, and then forgive. This comes in lots of ways.
If someone wrongs you, you don’t have to agree that it’s okay, but if you accept that things aren’t right between that person and you, and if you accept that you’re not on the same page, you have a better basis for knowing what to do next.
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As Chris (Brogan) notes, this also helps you learn more about compassion, too.
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Image: Amanda
