“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
— The Serenity Prayer

There’s a line from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous that has stuck with me through every season of my recovery: “Acceptance is the answer to all my problems today.”

For years, I wrestled with that idea. I thought acceptance meant surrender. Giving up. Admitting defeat.

I was wrong.

Acceptance isn’t about surrender; it’s about seeing reality clearly for the first time.

It was only when I truly began to accept life on life’s terms that everything began to shift:

• When I accepted myself for whom I am, my life improved.
• When I accepted my job for what it was, my work ethic improved.
• And when I finally accepted that I was powerless over alcohol—that my way of managing it was a catastrophic failure—my true recovery began.

For five-plus years of sobriety in AA, I held onto this truth. And while my path has evolved, the power of acceptance remains a cornerstone of my life today.

So, what does real acceptance look like?

Imagine you’re in a hole, shovel in hand, digging frantically. Your mind tells you, “If I just dig a little deeper, a little faster, I’ll find a way out!” But the truth is, you’re only burying yourself further.

Acceptance is the moment you finally stop digging.

It’s the courageous, often painful, act of looking in the mirror and saying:

• “I am drinking too much, and I cannot control it.”
• “I am addicted to these pills, and they are ruling my life.”
• “AA isn’t working for me, and I need to be honest about that.”

This isn’t a moment of failure—it’s a moment of clarity. It’s the essential first step toward any meaningful change.

How do you start?

1. Accept Yourself First. Before you can accept anyone or anything else, you must look in the mirror and offer yourself forgiveness for the past. You are human. You have struggled. You are worthy of grace.
2. Write It Down. When I first got sober, I filled notebooks with my raw, unfiltered thoughts. I wrote until I could no longer deny the truth staring back at me from the pages. There is power in giving your thoughts a form.
3. Accept Your Reality—Just for Today. You don’t have to fix everything at once. Simply practice accepting what is, right now, in this moment. Don’t worry about anyone else’s reality. Focus on your own.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
— Matthew 11:28 (NIV)

True rest begins when we stop fighting against the current of reality and instead accept it—not with resignation, but with the clear-eyed faith that once we see the truth, God will provide a way through it.

Acceptance was one of the first keys that unlocked the door to my truce. It can be for you, too.

— Chris
(Author, “Grateful Truce”)

What’s one thing you need to accept today? Share in the comments if you feel led.