Acceptance

Acceptance is the beginning of healing. It snatches you out of your fairytale and forces you to see clearly.

Acceptance is Part I and under its umbrella are three steps. The first step is to acknowledge the problem. If you and your mother don’t have a good relationship, just say that. It won’t help to stay in denial. That means owning any part of the relationship you can control and addressing the other parts accordingly. If you're ready to make waves and ready for change then this is a good place to start.

Step two is knowing the back story. Do you know what happened to your mother and how or why she became the way she is? What drives her? It’s important to know if whatever it is seems like a generational or hereditary problem. Understanding her circumstances and where she comes from can help you keep from repeating the same things in your life.

Step three is accepting the truth. You must know who your mother is and deal with it. Do not try to change her. Do not pretend that she can be someone she isn’t. Accept that fact that you can’t change anyone and decide how much you’ll allow who she is to interfere with who you are becoming.