Most of us know the Serenity Prayer, whether we have attended 12-step meetings or not. “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.” This is an excellent prayer for all of us, as we all have challenges in our lives. So let’s break it down.
God grant me the serenity:
Serenity means that I no longer focus on the past or live in a state of anxiety about what might happen or worry about the future. Serenity has us seeking regular times to refresh and re-create to avoid those times when we run out of steam, which makes us vulnerable to despair and hopelessness.
To accept the things I cannot change:
Accepting change and those things that are beyond my control or clinging to things of the past means that I do not cause myself unneeded suffering. All that I can count on is that change will happen and nothing in life will be stable or predictable. The only thing I can control is how I respond to the events and people around me, and that there will be transforming cycles of life. Acceptance helps us to choose change and growth and new ways to become a happier, more serene, and grateful person.
The courage to change the things I can:
It takes courage to give up our well-defined defense mechanisms and deeply ingrained attempts to control situations or other people. At the same time, changing the things I can means that we develop meaningful boundaries for ourselves and do our best in whatever situation we find ourselves in. It also means that we recognize our limits and have the courage to say” no” when appropriate.
And the wisdom to know the difference:
Wisdom encompasses the lessons we have learned in our journey through life, and we gain the ability to recognize all the times when it seemed there seemed to be no acceptable solution in sight, and a new path opened up like a miracle.
From my current vantage point of life as an aging woman, I can, from personal experience, recommend that everyone make it a practice of praying this short but meaningful prayer at least once a day. Over a period of time, I discovered that this simple prayer had the power to help transform me and the way I approached life.