In its simplest form, self-acceptance and self-love means accepting yourself fully for the person you are.
True self-acceptance, therefore, comes from an acceptance of things you like about yourself, and the things you don’t. It means to eliminate expectations of oneself. We cultivate a supportive inner dialogue instead of allowing the inner critic to take hold. We learn to embrace our worthiness.
One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about self-acceptance is that self-acceptance means liking everything, and not being able to change anything. But this is not true. Self-acceptance means accepting the true reality of a situation, whether you like it, or not. Although self-acceptance involves a willingness to accept and experience your feelings, it does not mean that once you are self-accepting you will become ruled by your emotions and incapable of logical thought. It is the realization that whilst you accept something you dislike, you can still be determined to change or improve it. For example, suppose you are uncomfortable with a certain part of your body, you first accept that for the time being, in your present, it is what it is. After doing so, you put yourself in a position where you take appropriate steps to improve it, if it possible to do so. By lacking self-acceptance, you also lack the power and control needed to affect a meaningful change in your life.
To become more self-accepting, we must start by telling ourselves repeatedly that given all of our negatively biased self-referencing beliefs, we’ve done the best we possibly could. In this light, we need to re-examine residual feelings of guilt, as well as our many self-criticisms and put-downs. We must ask ourselves specifically what it is we don’t accept about ourselves and, as agents of our own healing, bring compassion and understanding to each aspect of self-rejection or denial. By doing so, we can begin to dissolve exaggerated feelings of guilt and shame based on standards that simply didn’t mirror what could realistically be expected of us at the time. It can also be by gazing into the mirror and declaring you are worthy of love, by noticing the feelings and sensations that arise as you make the declaration.
Some people might wonder why it is important to accept and love yourself. It’s considered that self-love and self-acceptance are essential ingredients to living a fulfilling life. If you accept yourself for who you are, you are more likely to make better choices in all areas of your life. Making good choices means that you will be better able to achieve other goals and develop other abilities. Knowing yourself affords you the possibility to see what you can do to improve yourself and your life. It is not an excuse for saying, “This is what I am. I accept myself as I am. I accept my character, my failings and my fate, and this how it is. I can do nothing about it.” When you accept yourself as you are, you put yourself in a better position to begin improving yourself. Self-acceptance and self-love helps us recognize and use our frailties, flaws, and vulnerabilities as opportunities for proactive self-care. It helps you become your own soulmate and best friend.
We all say that we have accepted ourselves and our lives the way they are but actually, we don’t. Self-acceptance is very important in making the journey of life brighter and happier. It is vital to accept whoever, whatever, wherever you are. Once you find some time from your schedule to look within, you will find that you have a number of strengths and weaknesses in yourself. Accept them. We especially need to practice self-compassion and self-care when our inner critic starts to pummel us with harsh, negative self-talk. Embrace and love yourself without reservation. Life will make sense because you will be in tune with your authentic self, which is Love at the core of your being.
Authorship: Jhanvee Gala
REFERENCES:
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The Path to Unconditional Self-Acceptance. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evolution-the-self/200809/the-path-unconditional-self-acceptance
Self Acceptance – Key to Happiness. (2016, January 28). Retrieved from https://www.wisdomtimes.com/blog/self-acceptance-key-to-happiness/