--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing…" description: "\"Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing - Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Also compromise, as every couples therapist wil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78c/a-s-a-harrison-16829_acceptance_acceptance-is-supposed-to-be-a-good-thin_2707614.jpg" --- # Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing - Grant me the… ![“Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing - Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Also compromise, as every couples therapist will tell you. But the cost was high - the damping of expectation, the dwindling of spirit, the resignation that comes to replace enthusiasm, the…” quote by A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78c/a-s-a-harrison-16829_acceptance_acceptance-is-supposed-to-be-a-good-thin_2707614.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78c/a-s-a-harrison-16829_acceptance_acceptance-is-supposed-to-be-a-good-thin_2707614.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/78c/a-s-a-harrison-16829_acceptance_acceptance-is-supposed-to-be-a-good-thin_2707614.jpg) > “Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing - Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Also compromise, as every couples therapist will tell you. But the cost was high - the damping of expectation, the dwindling of spirit, the resignation that comes to replace enthusiasm, the cynicism that supplants hope. The mouldering that goes unnoticed and unchecked.” [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that over‑acceptance can dampen ambition and hope, turning acceptance into resignation and cynicism. **In simple terms:** Too much acceptance may kill enthusiasm. Key Takeaway Balance acceptance with active pursuit. Themes acceptance resilience hope cynicism motivation Mood reflective cautious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - relationships - career planning - mental health - goal setting Key Concepts psychology mindset expectation management Questions to Reflect On - When does acceptance become surrender? - How can you maintain hope while accepting limits? A Different Perspective It may overlook the value of striving for change when possible. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acceptance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) [Compromise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compromise/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Cynicism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cynicism/) [Enthusiasm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enthusiasm/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Resignation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resignation/) [Serenity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serenity/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Therapists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapists/) ## Related quotes > [“She never saw the point in fighting with a man who was not going to reform. Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing—Grant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison-3/she-never-saw-the-point-in-fighting-with-a-man-who-was-not-going-to/) A. S. A. Harrison > [God, Grant me the serenity to accept the things that we can not change, the courage to change the things that we can and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-that-we-can-not-change/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ferguson/lord-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-the/) [Sarah Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ferguson/) > [“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, a sledgehammer to smash the motherfucking shit out of the toys that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-knepper/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-a/) Nicole Knepper > [God grant me the serenity to accept things I can not change. courage to change things I can, and the wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexia/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-things-i-can-not-change-courage/) [Alexia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexia/) > [“God, grant me serenity to accept those things I can't change, the courage to change those I can, and the wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/studs-terkel/god-grant-me-serenity-to-accept-those-things-i-can-t-change-the/) [Studs Terkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/studs-terkel/) > [God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the patience not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-weiner/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-3/) [Jennifer Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-weiner/) > [Lord give me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change and the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-tomlinson/lord-give-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-and/) [Shaquille Tomlinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-tomlinson/) > [Oh My Lord! grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things that I can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-shariati/oh-my-lord-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-can-not/) [Ali Shariati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-shariati/) > [God, Grant us the serenity, to accept the things we cannot change, the courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-grant-us-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-we-cannot-change-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-the/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“God, grant me the serenity to, accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serenity-prayer/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change-2/) Serenity Prayer > [God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/god-grant-me-the-serenity-to-accept-the-things-i-cannot-change/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [When it's open and honest, that's when the real nature of who you are as a vocalist or as a performer, all of that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-krauss/when-it-s-open-and-honest-that-s-when-the-real-nature-of-who-you-are/) [Alison Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-krauss/) > [“The Democratic Senator’s Serenity Prayer God Grant Me the Serenity to Accept the Things I Cannot Legislate The Courage to Legislate the Things I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-franken/the-democratic-senator-s-serenity-prayer-god-grant-me-the-serenity-to/) [Al Franken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-franken/) ## More by A.S.A. Harrison > [“It's the daily patterns that make a marriage, the habits you fall into as a couple. These become a kind of background rhythm for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/it-s-the-daily-patterns-that-make-a-marriage-the-habits-you-fall-into/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [She didn't know then that life has a way of backing you into a corner. You make your choices when you're far too young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/she-didn-t-know-then-that-life-has-a-way-of-backing-you-into-a-corner/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [Every shrink knows that it's not the event itself but how you respond to it that tells the story. Take ten assorted individuals, expose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/every-shrink-knows-that-it-s-not-the-event-itself-but-how-you-respond/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“The woman who refuses to object, who doesn’t yell and scream—there’s strength in that, and power. The way she overrides sentiment, won’t enter into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/the-woman-who-refuses-to-object-who-doesn-t-yell-and-scream-there-s/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [Other people are not here to fulfill our needs or meet our expectations, nor will they always treat us well. Failure to accept this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/other-people-are-not-here-to-fulfill-our-needs-or-meet-our/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [As for herself, every morning on waking she gives thanks to the God she doesn't disbelieve in. Although she can't credit him with saving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/as-for-herself-every-morning-on-waking-she-gives-thanks-to-the-god/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [Even if you forget that´s not the same as if it never happened. The slate is not entirely wiped clean; you can´t reclaim the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/even-if-you-forget-that-s-not-the-same-as-if-it-never-happened-the/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“deep-seated feelings of inferiority that drive him to continually prove himself. According to Adler, having a good measure of self-esteem leaves us free to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/deep-seated-feelings-of-inferiority-that-drive-him-to-continually/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [We live alone in our cluttered psyches, possessed by our entrenched beliefs, our fatuous desires, our endless contradictions - and like it or not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/we-live-alone-in-our-cluttered-psyches-possessed-by-our-entrenched/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“She’s aware of her fondness for ledger keeping, a term that marriage counselors use to castigate their clients for keeping a running tally of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/she-s-aware-of-her-fondness-for-ledger-keeping-a-term-that-marriage/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [Autumn can be glorious but menacing too - the long shadows, brisk winds, scurrying leaves, impending frost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/autumn-can-be-glorious-but-menacing-too-the-long-shadows-brisk-winds/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“Other people are not here to fulfill our needs or meet our expectations, nor will they always treat us well. Failure to accept this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/other-people-are-not-here-to-fulfill-our-needs-or-meet-our-2/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“Men are a race of suckers who don’t realize that having sex is the biggest risk they’ll ever take.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/men-are-a-race-of-suckers-who-don-t-realize-that-having-sex-is-the/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“Back then they had the freedom of knowing each other barely at all; they were in gleeful possession of a leisurely future with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/back-then-they-had-the-freedom-of-knowing-each-other-barely-at-all/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) > [“He’s a man whose touch is always warm, a matter of animal significance for someone who is nearly always cold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-s-a-harrison/he-s-a-man-whose-touch-is-always-warm-a-matter-of-animal-significance/) [A.S.A. Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) [Explore all 37 A.S.A. Harrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-s-a-harrison/) ## More Acceptance quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When one fib becomes due as it were, you must forge another to take up the old acceptance; and so the stock of your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/when-one-fib-becomes-due-as-it-were-you-must-forge-another-to-take-up/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Acceptance of death when it arrives is one thing, but to allow it to upstage the joys of living is ingratitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-blythe/acceptance-of-death-when-it-arrives-is-one-thing-but-to-allow-it-to/) [Ronald Blythe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-blythe/) > [“Loving someone who does not love you back hurts, alot, i know. It is liking seeing these pair of shoes at the retail store…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nomthandazo-tsembeni/loving-someone-who-does-not-love-you-back-hurts-alot-i-know-it-is/) [Nomthandazo Tsembeni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nomthandazo-tsembeni/) > [Take responsibily for your past, the bad memories of poor decisions you took were your choices once, and you liked them for the moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aruho-marvin/take-responsibily-for-your-past-the-bad-memories-of-poor-decisions/) [Aruho Marvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aruho-marvin/) > [Let us learn to accept and appreciate things now, and we'll find more happiness in every moment we live. Happiness comes when we stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glen-rambharack/let-us-learn-to-accept-and-appreciate-things-now-and-we-ll-find-more/) [Glen Rambharack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glen-rambharack/) > [“Love first; ask questions later.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-courtney/love-first-ask-questions-later/) [Jeremy Courtney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-courtney/) > [“There was beauty in chaos, she'd just never known it before.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-linsmeier/there-was-beauty-in-chaos-she-d-just-never-known-it-before/) [Amanda Linsmeier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-linsmeier/) > [Accepting the challenges in life makes it interesting and overcoming them makes it eloquent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/accepting-the-challenges-in-life-makes-it-interesting-and-overcoming/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Acceptance is the only thing you should teach. Be it Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Dalit, you must inculcate acceptance, not tolerance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamal-haasan/acceptance-is-the-only-thing-you-should-teach-be-it-christian-muslim/) [Kamal Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamal-haasan/) > [There just seems to be more acceptance now of other kinds of British films, than the picture-postcard ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-roth/there-just-seems-to-be-more-acceptance-now-of-other-kinds-of-british/) [Tim Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-roth/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 3,960 Acceptance quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acceptance/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Acceptance is supposed to be a good thing - Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change. Also compromise, as every couples therapist will tell you. 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