Have you ever wondered… about wabi-sabi? I have. It is a Japanese term that reminds us to accept the temporary and imperfect aspects of life. Wabi-sabi teaches us to appreciate simplicity and authenticity. If we slow down and think about it clearly, how often are situations truly perfect? Why do we strive for such an unrealistic goal then? If we relax and accept the status quo more, then we can embrace happier moments more frequently, making life in general much less of a chore. Wabi-sabi can be a key towards opening that door and accepting the present. Stop limiting yourself; do not hold back what is in store.
Wabi-sabi nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities:
-Richard Powell
nothing lasts,
nothing is finished, and
nothing is perfect.
Think about some of your favorite treasures:
Are they still pristine or perfect,
or do you still accept and appreciate them with scrapes and scratches?
Radical acceptance rests on letting go of the illusion of control and a willingness to notice and accept things as they are right now.
-Marsha M. Linehan
In the world of DBT, there is a term known as radical acceptance; it is a skill that can help here. Rather than fighting what is, radical acceptance teaches and trains us to acknowledge the current state of things. We have limited control in the grand scheme of life, so going with the flow is a helpful line to toe; resistance only hurts and slows.
If you find that you are constantly under pressure at work, or in life, stop for a moment and consider that you have a choice to accept pressure or not… Rather than waiting until you feel like a time bomb ready to explode, take steps today to lighten the load.
-Michael Atma
To close with one more term, you can improve your wabi-sabi by remembering one more Japanese phrase, uketamo, which means “I humbly accept with an open heart.” When your life begins to turn frustrating or overwhelming again, circle back to uketamo. Write it down as a note on your phone or in your wallet. Times will turn tough; you can humbly accept it all with an open heart. How accepting and freeing can it be? I hope we will see.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.