Excerpt from a talk where the speaker (Dr. Cara) advises practicing 'energy triage' during crises — consciously choosing where to direct limited resources — and explains the distinction between active acceptance and passive resignation. Acceptance is framed as preserving agency by controlling one’s response while releasing attachment to specific outcomes; resignation is described as giving up agency and hope.
During crisis, practice what I call energy triage, consciously choosing where you direct your limited resources. Ask yourself, is this action helping the people I love most, or am I trying to control outcomes I can't actually influence? The goal isn't to eliminate the crisis stress, it's to move through crisis while maintaining connected to who you are and what matters the most. Here's what I've learned about the difference between acceptance and resignation during crisis. Acceptance is active engagement with real Resignation is passive defeat that abandons your ability to respond wisely. Acceptance means saying, I can't control this outcome, but I can control my response to it. Resignation says nothing I do matters, so why try? Acceptance preserves your agency while releasing attachments to the specific outcomes. Resignation abandons both agency and hope.
