Remember when you were a child and the world seemed like a magical place? The toy shop was like a playground, school was fun and you were completely carefree.
Most parents try to protect their children from the struggles and challenges of life. They avoid the disturbing truths present in society and try to shield their children from what might be uncomfortable. However, doing this doesn’t make the world any different. At the end of the day, we all have to grow up and face the realities of the world, no matter how much we want to avoid them, or want to protect our loved ones from them.
But is ignorance really bliss?
Often time it feels nice not to have to know truths that are uncomfortable. Whether it is the truth about ourselves or our relationships, coming to terms with what really is can be scary. But the truth is, facts are stubborn things. They don’t just go away because we don’t want to face them.
One of the foundational pillars of mindful living and mental peace is acceptance. Contrary to popular belief, acceptance does not mean being okay with everything or being apathetic to reality. Rather, it just means acknowledging reality and coming to terms with the truths around you. And it is in our acceptance of what is, rather than what we wish things would be is where our power lies.
For example, if you are in a marriage that is struggling, acceptance would be acknowledging the truth: that there is a problem. Once you accept the truth, you can decide what the next best step would be. What do you need to change in your marriage? What can you do differently? Why has this happened?
A big part of acceptance also means acknowledging your emotions. For example, maybe something someone said about your art hurt your feelings, but you don’t want to accept that you are vulnerable or feeling uncertain about your work. So, you pretend you are okay. While you might consciously ignore your emotions, they will affect you on a subconscious level. And the stronger they become, the harder it will be to push through that uncertainty, build resiliency and continue creating art.
Have you ever wished you didn’t know something? Sometimes it can be convenient not to have to face the realities that we don’t like. However, we can’t ignore facts. Rather than trying to pretend, face the difficult truths and find the lesson you need to learn. It’s better to face it and get stronger than ignore it and let it all come crashing down upon you one day.
