One of the most meaningful and effective remedies for a strained relationship is accepting individual differences.  Acceptance is more than words or empty gestures; it is primarily a matter of the heart.  How do you honestly see others and how do you make them feel?

I started out as a certified public accountant (CPA) in the world of business, and everyone was cut from the same cloth  Well, that’s how it appeared right out of college. My left-brained CPA colleagues saw the world in stark black-and-white.  Didn’t everybody else in the world see things as I did? Didn’t we all think alike?

AccEPTANCE FOR OUR DIFFERENCES

No.  The truth is that we were different, me and my left-brained people out there, a little crazy and kind of an odd duck.  Everybody was not like me, not even by a long shot.  I needed to learn how to accept others as they were, oddities and all.

When I experienced things from my left-brained perspective, I missed out on the rich diversity of people around me.  When I discovered this profound but simple truth, it was eye opening. I  began to realize that if I accepted others for who they were, I would come to experience a mutual love from them.  I would be more accepted by others, even with my left-brained quirkiness.

Life’s Little Lessons

This was a life lesson modeled for me by my husband, Peter, which I have found to be an admirable quality to emulate.  I watched him in his work life and saw the way that he treated others fairly, with compassion.  He treated the janitor in our company the same as he treated the top executives, with no partiality.

I never thought I was mistreating others until I saw how much it meant for me to lift others up by showing everybody acceptance no matter who was standing in front of me.  Human beings crave acceptance, and it is a great kindness to demonstrate that you are seen and accepted in the relationship.  Be it a significant other, a spouse or a friend, it is imperative to assess whether you are showing acceptance of each oddity and character flaw.

We are not all the same, and I humbly thank God for His diverse creation.  If everyone was like me, the world might just fall off its axis!  I am not the most patient person in the world, and sometimes I can get a little intense.  It is one of my weak areas, and I need to work on it.  We all have weaknesses, which is why acceptance is so vital to keeping our relationships intact.  You see why acceptance for our differences is the most irritating oddities is important to sweetening a strained relationship, right?

ShowING ACCEPTANCE FOR OUR DIFFERENCES with a Smile

One of the simplest ways to show your acceptance is to smile at the people around you.  The old adage tells us it takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown, so make sure you smile more than you frown.  Acceptance is an invaluable concept in a world of insecure people, and you have the power to convey this kindness to others.  Be more accepting.

This blog was the third installment of my blog series on strained relationships.