the most dangerous disease in the 21st century

when we talk about the greatest pandemics of the 21st century, what always gets mentioned is Depression, Obesity, Anxiety, Trauma, loneliness, and so on…

and I believed it for a long time…

but that’s not the case. there’s something far more dangerous hiding in the background and this condition is causing all the diseases mentioned above.

And this condition is called: Non-Acceptance

Non-acceptance is the root cause of disease.

Let me explain…

We humans are in the constant pursuit of distracting ourselves from our thoughts, suppressing our emotions, and fighting our life experiences. This unwillingness to accept life’s unfolding manifests then as burnout, anxiety, depression, trauma, and maaany other chronic physical diseases.

So “why is Non-Acceptance so destructive?” you might ask.

Well, Non-acceptance creates stress and emotional pain because you're in a constant war with your inner world.

You resist:

• Thoughts you wish you didn’t have.

• Emotions you don’t want to feel.

• Situations you can’t control.

This resistance is the root of your emotional and physical pain. Because when you resist what’s happening inside you, your body reacts as if it’s under threat:

Stress hormones spike, your heart races, and your muscles tense.

Over time, this stress leads then to massive mental and physical healthy problems.

So the reality is:

You’re not in pain because of what happens in your life. You’re in pain because you’re afraid to accept life.

Life is unfolding - your job is to be open to the experiences life wants you to have (including your inner experiences!)

Your thoughts and emotions are not wrong, they are not good or bad, they just are. They are a source of information trying to communicate with you - but you refuse.

The feelings you resist don’t need fixing—they need feeling. When you stop resisting your inner world, you find peace. Acceptance doesn’t change what happens, but it changes how you experience it. And with that, you'll change.

So the bottom line is:

Resisting your inner experience creates sickness.

Grieving is not the problem. Anger is not the problem. Anxiety is not the problem. The problem is you don’t allow yourself to grief. To feel anxious. To feel anger. That doesn’t mean to act on your feelings. It means to feel your feelings.

So, what’s the solution?

Radical Acceptance.

Acceptance is the willingness to accept your thoughts and feelings without trying to change them.

“Acceptance is the art of staying wide open and being vulnerable - to sit with the mystery and the unbearable pain - to be with it all.” ~ Ram Dass

Keyword: “staying wide open”. This is how you should stand in life:

Vulnerable, open, arms wide, welcoming, and ready to experience whatever life wants you to experience.

Complete openness towards lives unfolding - that’s acceptance.

So I want you to understand:

Acceptance Is NOT to enjoy everything or force optimism but about non-judgemental observation.

And how do you practice acceptance? There are 3 exercises you can do:

• Observe: When shame, anxiety, and fear arise, notice what’s happening inside you. Observe and let them be there instead of trying to push them away.

• Name your feelings: Say to yourself, ‘This is sadness,’ or ‘This is fear.’

• Allow: Embarrassment, shame, guilt, fear, anxiety - these are universal feelings shared with all beings. You’re not bad for feeling them - You’re human.

So as Buddha famously stated:

“Life is suffering” - it's true if you resist the experiences life wants you to have. The more trust you have in life the less you suffer. Life unfolds in its own rhythm, perfectly balanced.

Our rational mind can’t comprehend this perfection and starts to resist. When you practice openness, don’t work with your mind - instead feel and observe the sensations you're having.

that’s it from me for now…please if you have any questions or comment, reply to this email. I read every message.

And btw:

Atm I’m giving workshops on acceptance-commitment Therapy (ACT) to different psychological associations and Yoga & Meditation centers. So I would love to share with you what I’m sharing in these workshops.

That’s why now I’m offering 30-minute ACT-Counselling session completely for free (limited spots available). So if that’s something that interests you, reply to this e-mail with “ACT” and I get back to you.

With love,

Heythem