Speaker 1 0:00

Ladies and gentlemen , andy , here I went from depressed and suicidal to living a life of abundance and joy . If I can do it , you sure as hell can too . So I talk a lot in my content about concepts like acceptance and peace and letting go , and one of my favourite authors , byron Katie , talks a lot about accepting reality instead of fighting against it . So does David Hawkins , another author that I love . But I think these words like acceptance and letting go often come with all of these negative connotations , and I want to make something clear . Acceptance is not being passive . It's not just letting other people do whatever the hell they want to do to you . It's not you having absolutely no say in the matter . Acceptance is not being weak . Acceptance is not giving up . Acceptance and letting go , so it's definitely not being hopeless and helpless . It's the exact opposite of that .

Speaker 1 1:04

I did a video on my YouTube channel a while ago called the map analogy , and in this video I talked about what we do when we're working towards a goal , or when we want to start working towards a goal , is first we have to accept where we currently are and then we can do something to change it . The 12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous talks about this exact same concept . You know they say the first step is admitting or accepting that you have a problem , surrendering to the fact that you have a problem , letting go of your ego and admitting I have a problem , and then you can start working on it . And even with goals , it's only when we actually accept where we currently are right now that we can then start to look for solutions , instead of sitting there wasting energy and time arguing with what has happened , you know , wishing that it was different , getting mad at ourselves or the world for the circumstances that we're currently under or the position that we're in in life . So when we're able to let go and actually accept where we are right now , then we can start to build something beautiful for our future . And I'm going to read out a quote from one of my favorite books that I think really highlights this difference between acceptance versus what a lot of people think it means , which is like giving up . So this book , or this quote , comes from the book the Map of Consciousness , explained by David Hawkins .

Speaker 1 2:33

Acceptance is not to be confused with passivity , which is a symptom of apathy . This form of acceptance , as in the positive form of acceptance that we're talking about here today allows engagement in life on life's own terms , without trying to make it conform to an agenda . With actual acceptance , there is emotional calm and perception is widened . As denial is transcended , one now sees things without distortion or misinterpretation . The context of experience is expanded so that one is capable of seeing the whole picture .

Speaker 1 3:12

Acceptance has to do essentially with balance , proportion and appropriateness . The individual who's at the level of acceptance is not interested in determining right or wrong , but instead they're solely dedicated to resolving issues and finding out what to do about problems . Tough jobs do not cause discomfort or dismay anymore . Long-term goals take precedence over short-term ones . Self-discipline and mastery are prominent . So with all of this stuff in this quote , what he's basically saying is if you can reach acceptance instead of arguing and denying reality and wishing things were just somehow different , and regretting the past and ruminating and complaining and being negative and , you know , getting upset over what other people do in their life , when we can let go of all of that and , in other words , find acceptance or I guess letting go is a really good way of phrasing that we can then , as David Hawkins says in this quote , we can dedicate ourselves to resolving issues , finding out what to do about problems . You know , taking action , not worrying if something is tough . We just soldier on and we do a great job and we keep showing up , and we're actually dedicated to the idea of self-improvement , to the idea of self-love and loving those around us as well .

Speaker 1 4:30

And so the suffering comes from wishing things were different . You know , not accepting reality , not accepting that you are where you are right now , instead just wishing that it was somehow magically different . But in doing so , in sitting there , getting so annoyed at the way things are , you're wasting precious energy , you're wasting precious brain power . You're wasting precious time as well , sitting there not actually doing anything to make anything different . And so that's the key difference .

Speaker 1 4:59

A lot of people sit there in denial , in frustration . Their ego gets in the way . You know , your ego saying I should be better . No , you shouldn't . You should be exactly what you are right now . If you want to be better , okay , you're allowed to start taking some action towards that . But the first step of that is acceptance , which is okay right now . Here's where I am Fine . I'm going to stop wishing I was better . I'm going to stop wishing it was different . I'm going to stop beating myself up and saying I should be better . I should know you should be exactly what you are right now . Fine , I accept that this is where I am right now . Okay , now , what do I want to do about it ? So we can't even begin to take steps to improve ourselves until we actually admit where we are right now ?

Speaker 1 5:41

This is a concept that I went balls deep on it in my video course . You know the video course I've been mentioning a lot lately , the play to win video course . I talked about finding solutions . You know , resolving issues , not sitting around arguing with reality or wishing that things were different . As I always say , if you wish that things were different , make them different . This reminds me of one of my other favorite quotes , which is if it is to be , it's up to me .

Speaker 1 6:08

The acceptance of where I currently am has brought me so much peace in my life . It's given me the ability to then go okay , fine , I accept where I am right now . Would I like to start taking some actions towards making things even better ? Would I like to start , you know , improving this ? Or would I like to give up this addiction ? Or would I like to build this thing here ? Whatever it might be Do I want to achieve this goal .

Speaker 1 6:29

But the first step of that is the step of peace , of acceptance , of saying , okay , fine , this is where I am right now . And that doesn't mean that you sit there passively accepting that for the rest of your life , as David Hawkins said . In that quote I read out , that would be apathy . Acceptance is the exact opposite of apathy . It is care , it is love , it is saying I want to improve this thing , I want it to be different . But the very first step is I have to surrender and say , okay , fine , this is where I'm at right now . I'm not going to keep arguing with that , but I am going to move towards a more positive future .

Speaker 1 7:02

So , if all of this resonates with you , if you want more information on this , like I said , I'll leave a link in the description to my video course . It's just called Play to Win . You can pay whatever you would like for that video course , even if that's just $1 . But accept where you currently are right now . And hell you know what . You don't have to accept where you currently are right now . It's just easier if you do . As always , ladies and gentlemen , go out there and crush those beautiful goals .