Something I have recently learned, is the act of Radically Accepting things. No matter how much I don't like what is going on, it just is what it is. I can't change other people, or certain situations. I can only control the way I handle and react to my surroundings.

April,

Thank you for posting this! You are so right with this! I cannot remember who said this but I will try to find the exact quote... It goes something like this...

"We have little if any control over what ultimately happens to us in our lives... We do however have full control over our attitude and how we look at and deal with circumstances..."

You will significantly reduce your overall stress level when dealing with a situation if you just accept it and look for the positive in the situation rather than fighting it. Sometimes we cannot change people or situations in our lives so accept the situation or move on...

How true, how true.

I had a group of friends back in the late 70s who were counselors in an alcohol / drug rehab program in Rapid Cirty SD. Ther believed very firmly that ANY situtaion, circumstance that was difficult to accept could be worked thru by following thw 12 step program - you know (and for those who don't) the fist step - the admiission of powerlessness and aceeptance of the feeling. they would work thru (sometimtes it seemed) the most trivvial things, but it seemed to work for them. I have to admit that i have also used those 12 steps at times and it does seem to work! expecially better at things that are (or seem to be much larger) than i am!

and realistially, can i really ever expect to change someone else 0 expecially if i can't change myself! i know that for me, once i have understaood that i have to accept things as they are and that i can not change them, then i have much less stress. of course that does not mean taking things sittig down and letting something run over me! i am not a door mat either! and that is where asking the wisdom of asking a higher power, the powers that be to help out comes in.

APRIL, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS, SHERRON