How Radical Acceptance Helps You Move Through Change

"Change, no matter how good, is hard." - Brianna Wiest

Change is everywhere. New systems. New expectations. New ways of doing things—just when we finally got used to the old way.

Change isn’t always the hard part.
Resistance is.

We fight what we didn’t choose. We cling to how it used to be. We imagine every worst-case scenario before the first step is even taken. And all that mental resistance? It’s exhausting.

One of the most powerful tools I’ve come across for navigating change isn’t about forcing positivity or pretending everything’s fine.

It’s called radical acceptance—and it’s a game-changer.

So… What Is Radical Acceptance?

Radical acceptance is a concept from Dr. Marsha Linehan, the psychologist behind Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). In simple terms, it means this:

You don’t have to like it, want it, or approve of it… but you stop fighting reality.

It’s the decision to say, “This is happening.”
Not, “This should be happening,” or “This feels great,” or “I’m okay with it.”
Just—“This is real. And since it’s real, now I can decide what to do with it.”

That moment of truth? That’s the turning point.

Change + Emotion = Why It Feels So Hard

When we go through change, we don’t just deal with logistics—we deal with feelings. And often, we push those feelings aside because… work. Deadlines. People relying on us. Showing up.

But what we resist emotionally doesn’t go away. It shows up as stress. Frustration. Overwhelm. And it keeps us stuck in that mental loop of “Why is this happening?” or “This shouldn’t be this way.”

Radical acceptance helps us break that cycle.

It gives us permission to stop spinning and start responding. And that pause—that deep breath of “Okay, this is real”—it opens the door to new energy, new thoughts, and new movement.

PAUSE, Accept, Shift

I talk a lot about the Power of PAUSE—both literally and figuratively.
The literal pause is simple: step away, take a breath, let your nervous system settle.
The figurative PAUSE (which I’ll dive into in another post) is a framework for leading yourself through change more intentionally.

But radical acceptance fits right into both.
Because when you pause, you create space.
And in that space, you get to stop resisting and start accepting. Not giving up—just loosening your grip on the fight.

And from there? You move. You shift. You lead.

You Don’t Have to Love It—Just Let It Be True

Here’s the truth: change is happening whether we’re ready or not. Radical acceptance doesn’t mean you approve of what’s happening—it means you stop pretending it isn’t. And that shift? That’s how you reclaim your energy.

That’s how you move through the emotion, instead of being swallowed by it.

That’s how you lead—even when things feel uncertain.

A Small Shift That Makes a Big Impact

The next time change shows up, and your brain starts spinning with the usual:

• “Why is this happening?”

• “This isn’t fair.”

• “I can’t handle this…”

Pause.
And try this instead:

“I don’t like this… but this is happening. So what do I want to do next?”

It’s a small shift. But it’s a powerful one.

P.S. This idea of radical acceptance is just one of the tools I bring to my keynote, “Navigating the Wave of Change.” If your team or organization is moving through change, this talk will give them tools to reset, respond, and reclaim their energy—one small shift at a time. Let’s connect.