Things happen to us every day that cause us frustration. From the most banal, such as an argument with a neighbor or that the size of the garment you were going to buy has run out, to the most transcendental. The loss of a loved one or a breakup can plunge you into a spiral of disappointment, anger or sadness. Adversities tend to paralyze us due to the tendency either to anchor ourselves in suffering, or to ignore reality as it comes.
In the face of any painful event, knowing how to manage emotions is crucial to accepting what has happened to you and moving forward with your purposes. An alternative to impassivity and looping is to practice radical acceptance. It is a healthy way of facing difficult events from a positive perspective, and it will help you channel your pain.
Radical acceptance should not be confused with resignation. This theory was developed by the psychologist Marcha M. Linehan as part of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and consists of preparing oneself before life in its entirety, with its joys and its troubles. It is a practice that is inspired by the Eastern Zen tradition, Buddhism and meditation.
If you do not stop complaining about your misfortunes on a day-to-day basis, or you have thought you got used to living with permanent suffering, opting for radical acceptance will be a real shock in your emotional life. Accepting reality, however uncomfortable it may be, encourages managing emotions and seeking solutions to problems, from the moment you stop fighting against it.
Denying the problem does not eliminate the pain, it only postpones it. That is why it is important to learn to channel it until you reach peace with yourself.
Denial is the natural response of humans that we apply out of pure survival instinct. However, pain is a free feeling that, if you get carried away, will prevent you from moving on to the next life stage and can plunge you into depression. To avoid this, radical acceptance won't make the pain go away immediately, but it is a method you can resort to when a setback happens.
