I saw this on Autism Acceptance and Understanding’s Facebook page and thought I’d share it with you.

The Cycle of Acceptance... With examples of what happens in the different steps. The cycle applies to individuals or organizations. Most of the examples are for an individual. The cycle begins with receipt of bad news.

1. Normal Existence
Capable of objective, valid reasoning, unclouded by doubt and undue emotion.

2. Receipt of Bad News.
Wow, that’s bad news.

3. Denial
This can’t be true. This is not happening to me.
We are not falling. In fact, we know what we’re doing.
It is you who are wrong.

4. Anger
Get out of here, you so and so!!! Don’t tell me anymore! This is Nuts! I can’t stand news like this!

Anger sometimes leads to…

Aggression
I’m going to slap (or fire) anyone who says anything more about this. I’m going to sue my doctor because he is not doing all he can to help me. You’re not even qualified to say what you’ve said!

5. Depression
Oh no, it is true. But there’s nothing I can do.
I’m trapped.
It’s hopeless.
Nobody could solve a problem like this.

Depression usually leads to…

Confusion, early bargaining, and continued anger and denial
Why did this happen to me? I didn’t do anything to cause this. What are we going to do?

6. Bargaining
I might as well agree things are not going to change. A miracle is not going to happen.
If I can do that, I can at least get on with the rest of my life. Besides, if I can get out of all this wallowing in misery and avoidance I can think clearly again, manage the problem better, and work more effectively on possible solutions.

7. Acceptance
Well, it could be worse. We’ll just have to make the best of this.
And hmmm, this is starting to look like a blessing in disguise.
I’m glad this happened.