I’m personally a big fan of the ideas and tools from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). ACT helps us commit to creating a rich and meaningful life based on what truly matters to us, while accepting the pain that life (yes, every life!) inevitably brings. Acceptance is a key component of this approach because, time and again, we see that it’s not the unpleasant emotions or negative thoughts that make life difficult, but our constant struggle against them - trying to avoid, control, or fight these uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.

Take a moment to check for yourself: how often do you get caught up in them? And ask yourself honestly, has this fight been successful? Have all the doubts, fears, or difficult thoughts and emotions simply disappeared? In most cases, the answer is no. The fight feels endless and takes so much of your energy.

The good news is that we can learn many tools and techniques to let go of that struggle and instead focus on what truly matters in our lives and ACT is an amazing and truly transformative approach to do that.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a highly evidence-based approach, supported by a wealth of research. It has been proven effective for a wide range of challenges, including anxiety, depression, trauma-related issues, addiction, stress, burnout, compulsive behaviors, intrusive thoughts, and more. ACT is also widely used in coaching to help individuals gain clarity about their goals and values, make better decisions, overcome procrastination, increase self-acceptance and compassion, and much more.