A simple reminder for a calmer way of living
Hi [FIRST NAME GOES HERE],
Last weekend, our home was full. We had family over for an early Christmas gathering, and before long, six little children aged three, four, and five had arranged themselves in a neat semicircle around the Christmas tree. They were waiting. Hopeful. Excited. Very focused on the possibility of a gift.
Then one particularly wise four-year-old turned to the others and declared, quite firmly:
“You get what you get, and you don’t get upset.”
It stopped me in my tracks.
I’ve found myself returning to those words again and again over the past few days. And I can’t help wondering what might shift if we applied that simple rule to other areas of our lives.
What if we accepted what is, a little more often, instead of exhausting ourselves wishing it were different?
When We Resist What Is
So much of our stress comes from fighting reality.
We push against outcomes we don’t like.
We replay conversations.
We wish people behaved differently.
We resist the season we’re in.
It reminds me of the old saying, “Don’t sweat the small stuff. And it’s all small stuff.”
When we get caught up in frustration, disappointment, or unmet expectations, our brains shift into threat mode. We become tense, reactive, and depleted. But acceptance does something different. It calms the nervous system. It creates space. It frees up energy for what actually matters.
Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up.
It means choosing peace over constant resistance.
A Brain-Friendly Shift
When we practise acceptance, we reduce cognitive load. The brain no longer has to work overtime trying to control what cannot be controlled. Instead, we can redirect our focus to what we can influence.
Our attitude.
Our response.
Our next small step.
Sometimes, the most powerful leadership we can show is self-leadership. The ability to say, “This is what I have right now, and I can work with it.”
This Week’s Reflection Activity
Where in your life are you getting caught up in frustration over something small?
Ask yourself:
Is this worth my energy?
What would change if I accepted this instead of fighting it?
You might like to try this simple practice:
When something doesn’t go your way this week, pause and quietly repeat:
“I get what I get, and I don’t get upset.”
Notice what softens.
A Thought to Sit With
Acceptance is not about lowering standards.
It’s about releasing unnecessary stress.
Sometimes peace comes not from changing the situation, but from changing how tightly we hold it.