Week 2 day 2: self acceptance

Week 2 Day 2: Self - Acceptance

“Everybody says it is good to meditate,
and so you feel bad if you don’t do so.
The challenge of loving the self is to step aside
from everything you are told, and ask,
“Does this fit me? Does this bring me joy?
Do I feel good when I do it?”
It is ultimately your own experience that counts.”

- Orin

Self acceptance is not a matter of fitting in with the crowd or doing things to please others. It isn't a matter of being perfect and doing everything right. Self-acceptance is accepting yourself just the way you are, flaws and all. Self acceptance is being loving and happy with who you are NOW, in this moment. It is an agreement with yourself to appreciate, validate, accept, support and love yourself as you are. Not wishing to change or be different, but just allowing yourself to be you and being ok with that.

So many of us believe that in order to make changes within ourselves, we must first be unhappy with ourselves. But this is not the case at all. Acceptance allows change. When we truly accept ourselves we aren't saying we don't want to be better or reach new goals, it just means we are accepting where we are at , at this point in time. Acceptance is truly the first step to change. We can't move forward from where we are unless we know where we are coming from. "When you begin to accept yourself the way you are right now, you begin a new life with new possibilities that did exist before because you were so caught up in the struggle against reality that that was all you could do." Traveling Free, Mandy Evans

Creating self acceptance is creating self power. It is the difference between intention versus judgment. Many people use unhappiness, anger, guilt, depression and anxiety as motivators to change; thinking that if they have something to fix or make better that then they can actually make themselves "do something" about it. But we don't have to be miserable to make changes. We don't have to judge ourselves so harshly and think we only deserve love once we reach someone else's standards, certain expectations or reach certain goals. We are ALWAYS worthy of love. Self acceptance is the intention to love yourself whole heartedly with compassion and understanding; knowing that you are constantly changing, constantly moving forward and no matter where you are you are where you are meant to be.

Self acceptance is also the understanding that we are all different and that different things make us happy. What is good for the goose might not be good for the gander! When we begin to truly accept ourselves for who we are we can then begin to understand our true desires. Once we take away that layer of thinking what everyone else wants us to do, we can then begin to get in touch with our true self and our true desires, dreams, wants and goals. Desires come from within, not without. It is natural to move towards what makes us happy. The wants that come from happiness are easy to pursue. When we try to fit a square peg in a round hole we find, no matter what, it is never a good fit. This is what it is like to live life trying to do what makes others happy and not yourself. It is OK to make yourself and happy. You can't make others truly happy unless you are truly happy with yourself.

Self Acceptance Challenge:

Answer the following Questions:

Today I want you to try to figure out why it is you don't accept yourself, or what it is you don't accept about yourself.

What motivates you to NOT accept yourself?

What are your beliefs?

What is your honestly level? With yourself and with others?

Do you know when you are doing the best you can? Can you be ok with that?

Take a moment to examine your guilt... is it helping or hurting you?

What do you accept about yourself?

What don't you accept about yourself?

Start to learn who you are, so that you can learn what to let go of and what to hold on to. Just know that no matter what your answers are, no matter where you are in life, you are where you are meant to be. You can't move forward until you can be ok with where you are. Be present and realize what gift life is, what a gift you are!!! Know that accepting yourself just the way you are is the first step to creating the life you always wanted!