THE FIVE-MINUTE ACCEPTANCE TEST
When something unexpected or unwanted happens, try to be present and non-judgmental. Accept the situation and look for the gifts the situation offers. This process won’t take longer than five minutes, so whatever happened will still be there when you’re done. But at least you will have attempted to embrace what it is, instead of giving in to knee-jerk reactions. Practice with smaller, less important issues at first before moving up to the issues in your life that might be larger and more difficult to accept.
THE ONE-MINUTE ACCEPTANCE PLAN
Pick a circumstance that is not in synch with your expectations. Find a quiet place and start meditating (or at least breathing). Then say, “This does not meet my expectations. How can I find a way to accept what’s happening and see the gifts this situation offers? What can I learn from this circumstance that will take me where I wish to go?” Do this often, and before long, you will yourself better able to accept circumstances that do not meet your expectations. TZT
*I figure if you average the Five-Minute Acceptance Test and The One-Minute Acceptance you get Three Minutes of Acceptance (did I do the math right?) and that’s at least close to 2-Minutes of Zen.