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Have you ever found yourself saying something in your life is acceptable? "It's fine, it's good enough." "My job's OK, my relationship is passable." I know I have, many times. I also discovered that following the path of acceptable led me straight into apathy, on to discontent and finally to desperation to escape every aspect of my life.Acceptable is the same as average or mediocre. If a person's life is acceptable, that means their life is mediocre. We have been trained into the belief that it is noble to settle for acceptable, and selfish to desire extraordinary or great. Often, if something is amazing in our lives, we are embarrassed to tell people about it for fear of being rejected, fear of making other people feel bad, or fear of being seen as a show-off.
The problem with acceptable is that is causes numbness. One must numb themselves to their desires for amazing, in order to accept acceptable. Numbness disconnects you from the present moment, from beauty, from pleasure, from your true essence, from your intuition, and from the person you were created to be and the path you were designed to follow.
The "problem with acceptable" reaches far beyond the impact it has on our own lives. Choosing to settle for acceptable is choosing to leave a legacy of mediocrity. (Not very pleasant when you think about it that way!) Average living sets an example to others of average living. It teaches our children, and their children to settle for "good enough."
Each of us has a grand purpose in this life. Following the path to acceptable will never lead you to your amazing purpose. The path that you were created to follow - that narrow path that so few travel - is the path of amazing, magnificent, and superb. Following this path takes true courage. It requires the courage to stand for what you believe in, for yourself, and for what you deeply desire. It takes the courage to have the hard conversations, to make changes when things aren't working, and the courage to truly risk fully enjoying your life.
The trap of all or nothing
There is a particular trap that many of us fall into. It is all or nothing thinking. We often hold the belief that we can't enjoy our lives until everything is just so. For example, we'll say, "I'll start doing what I really want to do when I have enough money," or "I'll feel how I want when I have more free time." Falling into this trap will prevent you from ever experiencing what you desire. There is no need to wait. Decide now to do what you desire, live how you desire, and to feel how you desire. You may not have the time or money today to have every aspect of your dreams, but you do have the resources to start feeling like and living like you desire, even if only on a small scale, right now.
Acceptable vs. acceptance
There is a paradox with acceptable. Living a truly magnificent life requires acceptance. Acceptance is not settling for acceptable. Acceptance is embracing your life as it is now, knowing that where you are is exactly where you require to be, and being grateful for everything that makes up your life in this moment. Acceptance says, "This is where I am, and life is amazing. What can I do to more fully enjoy this moment?" Settling for acceptable says, "This is fine. Whatever. Maybe life will be better someday."
How to step off the path of acceptable and onto the path of amazing
The question then is how do we step off the path of acceptable and onto the path of amazing? It begins by establishing your vibrant foundation. This means determining how you desire to feel in life, and then making choices to support you in feeling that way. Get to know who you are at your core and what you desire, and begin infusing that into your life right away.
After you've established your vibrant foundation gently turn your attention toward healing. All of us have a lifetime of yuckies, like grudges, resentments and fears that keep us stuck in acceptable. Be gentle and loving with yourself as you release and heal these layers.
When the healing process has begun allow yourself to joyfully begin enhancing all the areas of your life, such as your body, your mind, and your relationships in ways that are amazing. Remembering your vibrant foundation, craft each area of your life in a way that supports how you desire to feel.
Finally, turn your attention to the future. When you have stepped off the path of acceptable, and onto the path of magnificent, you are ready to establish your vision for the future. Craft a vision for yourself that makes your heart sing. This is the future you were created for. You get there by living the life you were created to live. The only way to live that life is to never settle for acceptable, and only accept amazing.
