#3 What does it take to truly accept reality?

Resilient people accept reality, even when it's tough. They believe that life has meaning, even when it's hard to see. They can improvise and find new ways to move forward, even when things don't go according to plan, and they are preparing themselves for facing headwinds.

But what does it take to truly accept reality? I remember my father saying we should visit his hometown "if the good Lord still has us breathing next year." At the time I thought what a gloomy guy! Why is he so down to earth - his thoughts seem so dark. But now I realize he was on to something wise - a humble acceptance of reality. You can make plans, but approach them with caution - reality is here and now. Too many things can change to focus your mind on the unknown. You see, having your feet on the ground, not your head in the clouds, does the mind good. It means facing what's real today instead of dreaming elsewhere. No use sweating details that may change, right? This lets you solve problems at hand without extra bother.

Funny enough, many companies could use this medicine too! How much time do they spend planning perfect futures that are past dates before the ink dries? What if they take this energy to wow more clients, create new products and services, innovating...

So you can accept that things don't always go according to plan, or maybe plan less and acknowledge that life is full of unexpected challenges and things won't always go your way. When things don't go according to plan, try to learn from the experience and move on. Developing acceptance of reality is like training mental muscles - you have to flex them over time to build strength. More on this concept soon. For now, try keeping both feet on solid ground like our resilient friends. It works wonders, I promise!

On the picture: Good Lord have us breathing and we go to my father's home town; 2014.10.31, near Suwalki