Ep 46: Radical Acceptance with Heather Hutchison

Heather Hutchison is a singer/songwriter and author of the new memoir Holding On by Letting Go. Heather has been blind since birth and one of the things she hopes to do through her music and writing is educate people about disability and mental health.

One of the concepts she explores in her book is this idea of Radical Acceptance, a term that Brock introduced in our recent episode on coping. So we thought it would be great to have Heather on the show to talk more about that. Please enjoy this conversation between co-host Brock Armstrong and Heather Hutchison.

Takeaways

1. Accepting things that we can’t control does not mean that we agree with them or stop working for positive change. It simply allows us to take more skillful action.
2. Other people’s responses and reactions to you or behavior toward you is rarely about you. Don’t take everything personally.
3. Remember that we interpret the world through our limited experience and rarely have all the facts.
4. Getting to radical acceptance takes time and practice so be patient with yourself as you learn this skill.

You can find Heather’s new book, Holding on by Letting Go, and music at heather-hutchison.com.