This month we’re going to be looking at acceptance – acceptance of ourself, acceptance of others, acceptance of what’s happening around us – and why it’s important to be able to accept what is.

A few months ago, I came to live in Vanuatu, a tiny nation in the South Pacific, where people are well known for being happy.

Vanuatu is a country that’s often buffeted by cyclones, it frequently experiences earthquakes, it’s vulnerable to natural disasters. Listening to the local people, what I’ve heard is that they accept what is and learn to adjust, and they are resilient. Many don’t have a lot of money; they don’t need it to be happy. They are rich when it comes to family, to the land on which they live. And so, when their border closed, those who lost jobs went back to their families, to their strong social communities, where there’s always a bed and shelter, where they can grow food and get support. People stand together.

Having experienced just one or two challenges in life, I see that we can choose to be happy or miserable. No matter what the circumstances are, when we accept what is, we can be at peace with the situation. Only when we connect with our heart, with the diamond in our heart, can we be at peace with what is.  Once we are at peace, we can come up with new ways of thinking to deal with any issues.

Where do you stand… are you happy…can you accept and find joy with what is in the moment?