Let It Be, and Pray the Serenity Prayer

"Let it be."   ~ The Beatles

"Whatever it is, let it be." ~ Jill Scott

I was watching Super Soul Sunday on OWN, and Eckhart Tolle said something that was what Oprah would call "a slap upside the head," or what I would call a spiritual b-slap:  "Stress comes from wanting something to be what it isn't."

Word.  I have spent way too much of this great year wanting things to be what they aren't and expending time to make them what I wanted.  Some of that time was just straight-up wasted.

Now the holidays are coming, and I know many of you are going to want things to be what they aren't.

You're going to want your family to get along.

You're going to want to afford to do things you can't afford to do.

You're going to want to make people happy.

Before you continue wanting things to be what they aren't, my advice to you -- and to me -- is to stop.

Just stop.

Take a deep breath.

And pray the Serenity Prayer:  "God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."

Emphasize "the wisdom to know the difference."  That's where I've failed this year -- not knowing what I could and could not change.

Then look at what it is you want to be different and ask yourself, "Is this something I have the power to change?"  If it involves other people's actions or situations, more often than not, the answer is, "No."

Then, in the words of Jill Scott, "Whatever it is, let it be."  And let go of the stress of wanting it to be otherwise.

Happy Holidays,

BWB