While it might be easy to accept the big abstract philosophies and universal truths our partners spout from time to time, it can be irritatingly difficult to accept the little mannerisms and personality quirks that pop up day-in and day-out in our relationships.
You know, all the things that can push our buttons, even something as simple as leaving the cap off the toothpaste. Before long, irritations can explode into a litany of “Why don’t you do this . . . How hard can it be to do that?”which quickly becomes the daily mantra.
Nobody is perfect, especially our partners, right? And, oh how good it can feel to point this out!
Accepting others, especially the person we love so much, can be difficult to do. To practice acceptance, it’s necessary to shed our coats of self-righteousness and self-centeredness. We must be willing to overlook, if not fully accept, the shortcomings, differences, quirks, and limitations we think our partner has.
Acceptance doesn’t happen overnight; it is a process, especially if the relationship has become a battle of wills. Yes, you can do it alone and you will see a definite improvement in your relationship, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if you both tried to be more accepting of each other?
