“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” Michael J. Fox
(Companion oil: Young Living Acceptance™)
We all need role models. And when it comes to living and breathing acceptance in an amazingly inspiring way, Michael J. Fox is right up there with the best.
Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the age of 29 while riding high on a successful movie and TV career, he is now aged 53. In a recent interview with David Letterman, he spoke about being given the diagnosis by his doctor, who followed it up with, “The good news is that you have 10 years of work left.”
That was 22 years ago. Not only is he still working as an actor, he started a foundation with a goal to eliminate Parkinson’s disease in his lifetime. There’s a lot to be said for choosing to make up our own minds as to how long we might have available to us for anything in life.
But it’s valuable to know that Michael J Fox didn’t instantly kick into being a proactive, positive ‘superhero’, which can feel out of the reach of us ‘mere mortals’.
No, in a very human way, he only clicked into ‘action mode’ when he reached the point of acceptance, as he explains in his open and down-to-earth response to being asked by Letterman how he coped with the diagnosis.
“But, to be corny about it, once you accept it and you learn about it and you realise you’re part of a community and you realise you’re in a position to do something and to make a difference and to help, well then it’s just like, quit your (complaining) and get on with it.”
I love that today’s Feel Good Friday quote by Michael J Fox makes the important distinction of acceptance being a proactive state, not one of settling for less. And that is a truly important thing to understand.
According to Elizabeth Kübler-Ross in her ground-breaking book On Death and Dying (1969), the five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and lastly — acceptance.
Going through anything in life that feels like a loss usually means moving through those five stages — whether it be a loved one, a relationship, a job, or having to let go of a belief that we thought served us well but turned out to be at odds with what truly is best for us. For insignificant losses, we pass through the stages in the blink of an eye. “Already moved on, people — nothing to see here.” For significant losses, it can be a long way from that.
And if acceptance is evading you, you could stay stuck in the preceding stage: depression. That’s not a nice place to visit, let alone stay.
That’s where a beautiful essential oil can be of enormous help. Young Living Acceptance™ was formulated especially for what its name says. If you’re dwelling on “if only”, or “but I know better than they do,” or “but it was supposed to turn out this way,” open the bottle and smooth a drop between your wrists then bring them up to your nose and inhale deeply. Repeat as often as you feel you want to. You can also smooth your Acceptance-infused wrists over your outer ears and the back of your neck. It smells divine and you’ll leave a Feel Good drift in your wake.
To order Young Living Acceptance™, please contact me and I’ll give you a hand.
Acceptance™ is a blend of over half a dozen essential oils with a touch of sweet almond oil, which is skin-nurturing and helps absorption. The essential oils it carries include:
- blue tansy (helps bring forth a sense of self-control and keeps anger in check)
- coriander (helps settle tummy flutters)
- bergamot (uplifting without overstimulating, and furocoumarin-free for reduced sensitivity to sun exposure after applying)
Acceptance™ is beautiful added to carrier oil for a comforting massage when you’re struggling to come to terms with something. And applying a drop over your heart, wrists and ears is easy to do any time.
If you’re struggling with something and need help, please get in touch with an organisation that can provide you with an understanding ear and support. Please don’t try to suffer it out alone. And if you suspect a friend, co-worker or loved one is going through something, let them know you’re there for them.
Enjoy the good oil daily.
This will also connect you up with The Good Oil Team for our personal support and coaching. We'd love to help you on your journey to vibrant well-being the natural way!
Any questions? Please get in touch via our Contact page.
