Mark Morris' Stages of NO and YES

Descriptions of stages of acceptance of an event in your life.

Stage 1 - Hot NO

Resigning, giving up, fighting, rebelling, opposing, rejecting, making the event wrong.   Addiction, Willfulness.  There is no way out.  Stuck because you think you are fighting for survival.  Result is painful, separating emotion (anger, fear, sadness, confusion).

Stage 2 - Cool NO

Reasoning but still NO, putting up with it, getting by, avoiding, justifying, habitual behavior, using your thinking skill to endure and disconnect.  Obligation.  Having to prove yourself.  Exerting self-control.  Cooling the inner heat.

Stage 3 - Cool YES

Accepting, coping, letting it be, letting go of demanding expectations and unhealthful judgements, getting that it's okay, becoming conscious, surrendering, discovering moments of connecting emotions: happiness and peace.

Stage 4 - Hot YES

Embracing it, choosing it, gathering your power and trusting yourself, living into it, being fully present, feeling whatever you feel, looking beyond self, noble sacrifice, seeing growth opportunities, open to undreamed-of possibilities, zero demands, zero expectations, trusting that it's best this way allowing it to give you energy and growth, serenity.

Reference: Mark Morris, "Living Yes - A Handbook for Being Human," Amirh Voice, (2015) ISBN 978-0692340264, p38.
See www.LivingYes.org for more information.