For extra income at the moment, I have been driving for Lyft. As a driver, when I am logged in and a ride comes through the app, I have the ability to accept or decline the request. Not much information comes through other than the name of the person requesting a ride and sometimes their picture so you know who to look for once you arrive.
When I accept a ride, I am only given the location the rider is to be picked up at. It is not until I pick them up I find out their destination. I could be going to Timbuktu for all I know, but, I accept ALL request because I am trying to make money!!
I was looking at my stats the other day. One of the the items listed is the acceptance rate, which mine is 100%. This is no surprise since I accept everything. Then came a burning question that held significance. I heard a voice ask me: What is YOUR acceptance rate? Wow! What is MY acceptance rate? Hmmmmmm
What have I allowed to come in my life on a daily basis, continually tapping accept when I really should have made the decision to hit decline instead? What have I allowed myself to accept due to a position I am in, or because I am second guessing myself; because I do not know how to say no, or my self-esteem may not be where it should be; not putting boundaries in place because maybe I don’t respect myself enough; or because I care for other people’s feelings more than my own, or I am unsure what to do; or because I am trying to keep peace with others ( yet while keeping peace with others I am robbing myself of internal peace, so either way there is no peace).
There are many more of these questions we can ask ourselves as we reflect inward regarding the garbage we allow in our lives on a daily basis. Just like the limited information that comes through to a Lyft driver before accepting a ride, we are oblivious to our acceptance rate of things we should not allow in our life.
Once we acknowledge the level of tolerance we’ve allowed that does not serve us, the next step is to understand the root cause, then change the course. Our desire to be open and true to ourselves will bring forth the answers through self-reflection that will provide the understanding needed to change. Then we need to find enough courage, love, self-respect and discernment to know what to accept and what to decline.
What is your acceptance rate?
Too often in life, something happens and we blame other people for us not being happy or satisfied or fulfilled. So the point is, we all have choices, and we make the choice to accept people or situations or to not accept situations.
Tom Brady
The key to creating the mental space before responding is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a way of being present: paying attention to and accepting what is happening in our lives. It helps us to be aware of and step away from our automatic and habitual reactions to our everyday experiences.
Elizabeth Thornton