How to act

I'm reading a book about Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (also called ACT) that was recommended by a dear friend who is a therapist. 

There are a few basic premises.

1. Life involves pain, and trying to escape that pain creates more pain.

2. Instead of trying to avoid or eliminate pain, allow the pain to exist and let it be part of life (not proof something is wrong).

3. Figure out which actions would make your life richer and more satisfying, and then commit to doing them.

What I love about this approach is that it make space for the wild dichotomy of being human: there are terrible things AND you have the power to change your life (and the world).

It also aligns deeply with how I coach my clients (and myself).

There are some things in the world I simply cannot make sense of.

Horrible things. 

And yes, part of me wants to rage against them, and sometimes I do. 

But I can also see the beauty of the ACT approach.

Instead of spending my precious energy trying to get away from the pain, I can accept it.

And then I can use that saved energy to do something. 

Something that could make my life (or the world) richer and more satisfying. 

And then, when I've spent my effort, there will still be pain, but that will be ok. And the pain might seem different alongside the impact I've made. 

After all, just because there is still pain does not mean that nothing has changed. 

A lot can change.

You can be someone who changes it. 

You can have so much more impact than you realize. And the ACT approach can help you move forward when you feel tempted to give up instead. 

Here’s to keeping going,