How to Accept What We Can’t Change & 35 Acceptance Quotes to Use as Inspiration

“Happiness can only exist in acceptance.” – George Orwell

I believe that the much-needed quality we all haven’t developed that can make our life easier is acceptance.

I’m talking about the ability to accept things that can’t be changed, to be okay with what was in the past and let it be, to accept the uncertainty of the future and the imperfection of the present.

Because only this way can you actually let go of the anger, stress, anxiety, hatred, depression, disappointment, guilt, etc. in order to let in the freedom, beauty, inspiration, peace, and joy that are everywhere around you.

Read on to see what acceptance really means and how to practice it and enjoy a collection of inspiring acceptance quotes:

The Real Meaning of Acceptance

You see, the way we live life is a matter of choice.

We can either be in a constant battle, trying to fight our true selves and focusing on our bad sides, trying to change the people around us, being unhappy with the way things turn out, etc.
Or, we can appreciate everyone – especially ourselves – for who they are, without judging. We can be alright and believe that things are perfect just the way they are in that exact moment. And – yes – they will be different in the next, but will still be perfect.

The second approach to life is the healthy, positive, peaceful and successful one.

I think that the older we get, the more we start accepting everything and everyone around us. Because we see it’s the only way to keep living without so much stress and overthinking.

I’m not saying stop trying to improve yourself. No! I’m all about personal development, testing your limits and achieving more.

But also, when it doesn’t work, accept it and move on to the next thing. When you fail or make a crucial mistake, be okay with it. Accept it for the experience and lesson it is. And go do it better this time.

That’s the real definition of acceptance.

It’s the opposite of change and struggle. It means being absolutely okay with things the way they are – still trying to make the best of what you have, but without changing it or putting too much effort, without a feeling of unfairness or dissatisfaction, but by just going with the flow.

Before we move onto the acceptance quotes, let’s see some examples so you can start accepting things:

Examples of Acceptance in Real Life

Did you know that to this day my dad gets angry whenever the light turns red right in front of him when driving? Even if it’s only 1 out of 5 times or so…

How ridiculous is that!

Seeing that from my point of view – and not being the driver – makes me realize how we ourselves bring stress in our life with little daily situations like these.

Again, it’s all a matter of choice.

The realization that you can do nothing but wait a minute or two for the green light to come, and accepting that, is the only solution to experiencing this moment. Anything else will be connected with anger, worries, bad mood and other negative emotions.

Stuff like that can ruin your whole day if you react this way to every other thing that you don’t want to happen.

Is it winter already? Well, let’s accept it and make the best of it then. It’s much better than constantly complaining about the cold and wishing it was summer again.

Because when it comes, many just start being dissatisfied with the heat. And it’s the same story all over again.

What’s the part of the year that you are okay with then?

And that’s a kind of a lifestyle. This approach to life makes us miserable. Our inability to accept what can’t be changed turns our days into dreadful battles.

But we can always do something about it.

How to Accept: Learning to Be Okay with Things The Way They Are

1. Focus on what you have.

Truth is we all have much more than we realize. If we actually look around and notice the small and the big things, the ones we take for granted every single day, we’ll feel abundant.

2. Be content with it.

Now realize that it’s just enough to make you happy. And appreciate it. Thank for it every morning and find time for the people in your life, the things you love doing, the opportunities that come your way, etc.

3. Forgive yourself.

In order to accept yourself for who you are – and thus receive a chance to become a better version of yourself regardless of your past mistakes – you’ll have to be compassionate.

Know that the past is gone, there’s nothing you can do about it. And if you don’t let go of it, together with all the burden it carries, you’ll never be free to truly experience new things.

So be okay with who you’ve been before, even if you considered yourself a bad person, or not good enough. Let that be your starting line and move forward from here on.

Read also: How to Let Go of Everything to Achieve Anything: 12 Things to Free Yourself From

4. Don’t avoid reality.

Yes, we all have problems we want to forget about. And we find different ways to do that.

But even if you don’t want to deal with them right away, you can still be okay with them, accept their existence. That’s not as hard as it sounds.

Keeping them deep inside yourself is much worse and much more unhealthy for your mind and soul.

5. Be present.

Awareness is not our strongest quality these days.

We’re always in a rush, thinking about yesterday (usually with regrets) or worrying about what tomorrow might bring. It appears that it’s never as bad as we imagine it to be, though.

So try to stop every now and then. To just take a deep breath and look around you.

Don’t judge, compare, or even think about it. Just see it, feel it, listen to the noises and let things be.

That’s what living in the present moment is all about. It brings clarity, calmness and peace that can be found nowhere else but in this moment.

Enjoy them! That will make it easier for you to accept everything. And to trust the natural flow.

Here’s what Benjamin Hoff says about that in “The Tao of Pooh”:

“Things just happen in the right way, at the right time. At least they do when you let them, when you work with circumstances instead of saying, “This isn’t supposed to be happening this way,” and trying hard to make it happen some other way. If you’re in tune with The Way Things Work, then they work the way they need to, no matter what you may think about it at the time. Later on, you can look back and say, “Oh, now I understand. That had to happen so that those could happen, and those had to happen in order for this to happen. . . .” Then you realize that even if you’d tried to make it all turn out perfectly, you couldn’t have done better, and if you’d really tried, you would have made a mess of the whole thing.”

And here are some acceptance quotes from famous people that can inspire you and give you a sense of why trying to change things and people is not always the best idea:

35 Acceptance Quotes to Use as Inspiration

Be willing to have it so. Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune. – William James

The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance. – Nathaniel Branden

Acceptance looks like a passive state, but in reality it brings something entirely new into this world. That peace, a subtle energy vibration, is consciousness. – Eckhart Tolle

Panic causes tunnel vision. Calm acceptance of danger allows us to more easily assess the situation and see the options. – Simon Sinek

We are mindful of desire when we experience it with an embodied awareness, recognizing the sensations and thoughts of wanting as arising and passing phenomena