Accepting what is (or at least trying to...)

I think anyone who knows me, knows that I have a hard time accepting things whether they are things I think shouldn't have happened--like getting lupus for example.  Or accepting when things I WANT to happen DON'T - like not being able to afford a vacation to somewhere warmer.  I tend to obsess about the way I THINK things should go--maybe you know what that's like?

Well a few weeks ago I was at work and one of our subs who used to teach in the district and I got to talking.  He mentioned Byron Katie.  I've heard of her before, but this time I decided to get a few of her books from my library.  I'll be honest--some of her wording is really hard to grasp, almost how I feel when reading Eckhart Tolle, but the underlying meaning is starting to really resonate with me:

When I accept things, even the "bad" things, I will be happier.  Period.  Wow.  Tough work though, really tough work.  I'm so used to thinking "why me?" or "why not me?" so this is definitely going to be a work in progress, but I'm pretty sure work worth doing.

I wonder if you have any tips or mantras that help you accept those things that either go wrong or don't happen the way you'd like them?