Ep. 22 | Accept the Things I Cannot Change--Serenity Prayer Part 1

Luminous Recovery Yoga Podcast

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Maybe you can relate—The end of the year always brings up a lot of reflection time for me.

Honestly, if you would’ve asked me this time last year how my life would look a year from now in December 2022, nothing could’ve prepared me for all the changes that were to come.

I’ve left relationships, a business, started a new business, I moved, and I even saw Lizzo in the front row. (I could see her boob sweat. I was so close!)

There have been (and still are) many moments of uncertainty. Many moments of disbelief that my life looks so different than it did this time last year. And yet, if there’s one thing I’ve had to do in order to keep moving, it’s accept the things I cannot change.

That’s why this week's episode of the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast is about learning to accept the things I cannot change.

This phrase comes from a line in the serenity prayer. Over the course of the next few episodes, I’ll be breaking down the serenity prayer into three components.

If you’re not familiar with the Serenity Prayer, it's a jam packed little goodie that helps in many of life’s sticky situations, and it goes like this:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Often times, in a moment of distress over people, places, things and situations over which I cannot control, I take a moment to break down a situation into three components:

1. Things I can’t change. 2. Things I can change. 3. Wisdom to know the difference.

Maybe you can relate—-when I am not in acceptance of life’s circumstances, I can start to spin out. When I’m wishing things were different, I am not being present to life as it is, and it causes suffering of varying degrees.

When I’m in a pit of despair—aka suffering—I am not open to the gift of serenity.

One of my favorite quotes from the AA Big Book on acceptance says:

“When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation—some fact of my life—unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place, thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment.”

(Mic drop 🎤)

I love taking this principle to the mat. What does it feel like in your body to accept the things you cannot change? Where might this show up for you on the mat? Perhaps it is reconciling with injury, tension, or tightness. Perhaps it’s been awhile since you’ve gotten to practice. Rather than wishing your body or circumstances were different, what would it look like to accept the things you cannot change?

I created an interactive PDF to get your juices flowing about accepting the things you cannot change. You can use this guide on its own or as an accompaniment to the episode. It contains some thoughtful questions for consideration you might find helpful.

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And once you’ve listened, consider joining me for a LIVE yoga class in-person or virtually. Come and find out how it feels to practice acceptance on your mat.

With love, ~Kari

P.S. This will be the last newsletter and podcast episode for 2022. Have a wonderful holiday season and I'll see you in January! I have some awesome interviews coming up for the podcast in 2023. Stay tuned!