Pride
June is pride month! We are reminded of the achievements and voices of the LGBTQ+ community more than ever, and how hard people have fought for their own rights. Celebrations will ring throughout the month. While some will be celebrating, Pride can also remind us that some people struggle to accept themselves and their community.
The absence of acceptance can lead to suffering. In DBT we have a skill that can help with the suffering of non-acceptance. Radical acceptance. The spirit of this skill is basically the sentiment, “it is, what it is”. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of non-acceptance in the world regarding people’s identities and how they live their lives. This can cause more suffering for people who already struggle to accept themselves.
Practicing radical acceptance sounds simple, and it can be one of the hardest skills to practice in DBT. First, observe if there is someone of something you are not accepting. This can also be something about yourself. Second, describe what you observe, without judgement or criticism. Then, turn your mind, body and spirit to fully accepting these things for what they are. Not what you think they should be. This can be tricky!
When you have a hard time accepting something, trying to alter it with destructive thoughts or actions won’t change it, and cause more suffering instead. We challenge you to practice radical acceptance this week with something that you have been resisting. We hope it will reduce some of your suffering, and allow you to celebrate and enjoy life even when things are not exactly the way you wish.
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