--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We can struggle with what is. We can…" description: "\"We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame others or ourselves. Or we can accept what cannot be changed. Peace comes from an honorable and op..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg" --- # We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame… ![“We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame others or ourselves. Or we can accept what cannot be changed. Peace comes from an honorable and open heart accepting what is true. Do we want to remain stuck? Or to release the fearful sense of self and rest kindly where we are?” quote by Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg) > “We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame others or ourselves. Or we can accept what cannot be changed. Peace comes from an honorable and open heart accepting what is true. Do we want to remain stuck? Or to release the fearful sense of self and rest kindly where we are?” [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting reality and letting go of blame leads to inner peace, while resisting change keeps us stuck. **In simple terms:** Accept reality, release blame, find peace. Key Takeaway Embrace what cannot change. Themes accept acceptance peace mindfulness self‑compassion Mood calm reflective Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - conflict resolution - stress management Key Concepts Stoicism Buddhist mindfulness psychological flexibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice acceptance daily? - What judgments are you holding onto? A Different Perspective If we cling to judgment, peace remains elusive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fearful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fearful/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Open heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-heart/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Sense of self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense-of-self/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) ## Related quotes > [“Suffering, though, can be nothing more than a sad and sorry thing without the presence on the part of the sufferer of a graceful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/suffering-though-can-be-nothing-more-than-a-sad-and-sorry-thing/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [“Your hope lies in accepting your life as it now lies before you, forever changed. If you can do that, the peace you seek…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/your-hope-lies-in-accepting-your-life-as-it-now-lies-before-you/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [“I'm not simple. Loving me will never be easy. I bring every travesty that's rocked me- with me, to the table. I won't pretend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfa-h/i-m-not-simple-loving-me-will-never-be-easy-i-bring-every-travesty/) [Alfa H](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfa-h/) > [The one who was mine is now unknown. My heart is not accepting you are gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-r-sharma/the-one-who-was-mine-is-now-unknown-my-heart-is-not-accepting-you-are/) [Sushan R Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-r-sharma/) > [We need to take a step back and realize that not everything we encounter is true. You don't want to be gullibly accepting everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-levitin/we-need-to-take-a-step-back-and-realize-that-not-everything-we/) [Daniel Levitin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-levitin/) > [Sometimes what seems like surrender isn't surrender at all. It's about what's going on in our hearts. About seeing clearly the way life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-evans/sometimes-what-seems-like-surrender-isn-t-surrender-at-all-it-s-about/) [Nicholas Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-evans/) > [You never read Spider-Man? Accepting your true identity means understanding that you are a stranger to this world. A freak, ostracized by the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/you-never-read-spider-man-accepting-your-true-identity-means/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [Peace of mind comes from not wanting to change other, but by simply accepting them as they are. True acceptance is always without demands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/peace-of-mind-comes-from-not-wanting-to-change-other-but-by-simply/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If I look over my life, every single step of maturing for me, every single one, has had the exact same common denominator: accepting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-sweeney/if-i-look-over-my-life-every-single-step-of-maturing-for-me-every/) [Julia Sweeney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-sweeney/) > [“Acceptance leads to the direct experience of true love. It confronts us with the awareness that love has nothing to do with what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franco-santoro/acceptance-leads-to-the-direct-experience-of-true-love-it-confronts/) [Franco Santoro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franco-santoro/) > [Buddhist words such as compassion and emptiness don't mean much until we start cultivating our innate ability simply to be there with pain with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/buddhist-words-such-as-compassion-and-emptiness-don-t-mean-much-until/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Embrace the higher truth that everything comes to pass exactly as it should. Find peace and wisdom by accepting what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-millman/embrace-the-higher-truth-that-everything-comes-to-pass-exactly-as-it/) [Dan Millman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-millman/) > [Time after time, on matters great and small, we are still standing on the sidelines, mutely accepting what is decided elsewhere instead of raising…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winnie-ewing/time-after-time-on-matters-great-and-small-we-are-still-standing-on/) Winnie Ewing > [If you can accept the flow of life and give in to it, you will be accepting what is real. Only when you accept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/if-you-can-accept-the-flow-of-life-and-give-in-to-it-you-will-be/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [It takes a lot more courage to let something go than it does to hang on to it, trying to make it better. Letting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/it-takes-a-lot-more-courage-to-let-something-go-than-it-does-to-hang/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) ## More by Jack Kornfield > [“When we let go of our battles and open our heart to things as they are, then we come to rest in the present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/when-we-let-go-of-our-battles-and-open-our-heart-to-things-as-they/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [In opening we can see how many times we have mistaken small identities and fearful beliefs for our true nature and how limiting this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/in-opening-we-can-see-how-many-times-we-have-mistaken-small/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Wherever you are is the perfect place to awaken. This moment is the exact place to practice compassion and loving awareness. You have all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/wherever-you-are-is-the-perfect-place-to-awaken-this-moment-is-the/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Acceptance does not mean inaction. We may need to respond, strongly at times...From a peaceful center we can respond instead of react. Unconscious reactions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/acceptance-does-not-mean-inaction-we-may-need-to-respond-strongly-at/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To live in this precious animal body on this earth is as great a part of spiritual life as anything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-live-in-this-precious-animal-body-on-this-earth-is-as-great-a-part/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [We do not have to improve ourselves; we just have to let go of what blocks our heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-do-not-have-to-improve-ourselves-we-just-have-to-let-go-of-what/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To open deeply, as genuine spiritual life requires, we need tremendous courage and strength, a kind of warrior spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-open-deeply-as-genuine-spiritual-life-requires-we-need-tremendous/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [As we step out of the way new things are born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/as-we-step-out-of-the-way-new-things-are-born/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [For most of us, generosity is a quality that must be developed. We have to respect that it will grow gradually; otherwise our spirituality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/for-most-of-us-generosity-is-a-quality-that-must-be-developed-we-have/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [What is truly a part of our spiritual path is that which brings us alive. If gardening brings us alive, that is part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/what-is-truly-a-part-of-our-spiritual-path-is-that-which-brings-us/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [“Working with these distractions, steadying the canoe, letting the waves pass by, and coming back again and again in a quiet and collected way,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/working-with-these-distractions-steadying-the-canoe-letting-the-waves/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To understand ourselves and our life is the point of insight meditation: to understand and to be free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-understand-ourselves-and-our-life-is-the-point-of-insight/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [To let go in the deepest recesses of the heart, to release all struggle and wanting, leads us to that knowing which is timeless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/to-let-go-in-the-deepest-recesses-of-the-heart-to-release-all/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Wisdom says we are nothing. Love says we are everything. Between these two our life flows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/wisdom-says-we-are-nothing-love-says-we-are-everything-between-these/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [Breathing meditation can quiet the mind, open the body, and develop a great power of concentration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/breathing-meditation-can-quiet-the-mind-open-the-body-and-develop-a/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) [Explore all 324 Jack Kornfield quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [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/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [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/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame others or ourselves. Or we can accept what cannot be changed. Peace comes from an honorable and open heart accepting what is true. Do we want to remain stuck? Or to release the fearful sense of self and rest kindly where we are?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jack Kornfield" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judge-and-blame-others-or/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judge-and-blame-others-or/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/jack-kornfield-936_accepting_we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judg_262111.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We can struggle with what is. We can judge and blame others or ourselves. Or we can accept what cannot be…” — Jack Kornfield", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jack Kornfield", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We can struggle with what is....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judge-and-blame-others-or/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/we-can-struggle-with-what-is-we-can-judge-and-blame-others-or/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```