What is Self-acceptance?

Prior to my learning to accept myself, I felt like I was always observing and judging everything I did. I was an actor in a play, and everyone else was in my play to support or punish my behavior or my feelings. Slowly through years of group therapy in which I received lots of feedback about how other people viewed me, I began to see myself as a whole person who was good enough most of the time, and not so good at other times.

As I learned about how others saw me, I also recognized how I thought of myself. Since I had been left by my mother many times (and by my father) as a child, I thought I must not be good enough or lovable or smart enough. I continued in therapy for nearly 20 years, building and working on becoming my whole self. I went to college and eventually earned my Master's degree. That was a huge accomplishment for me and it went a little to my head. I was striving for perfection when I finally realized that no one is perfect. That didn't last long. I was in my 60s before I recognized my shadow self, even though I knew it was there. My husband helped me see that negative side of my behavior. He accepted all of me and continued to love me.

I accept myself as I am. I have worked over my life to learn and understand others as they are, and myself with all my emotions and experiences. One of the things I learned is that when I become aware of and accepting of others, I forget myself. I mean, I know I'm not the center of the universe for anyone other than myself. I read books, "On Becoming" by Carl Rogers, and his other books. I also read "Your Erroneous Zones" by Wayne Dyer, and "Women as Winners" by Dorothy Jongeward when I was in my 20s, and have read many other so called self help books. My friend once said I had a library of "How to be real books." I lent them out to others when they asked.

I have accepted and reconciled that I am fully human, with all that entails. I have lived, at 71, a very full, satisfying life.

Self-Acceptance - is to a total self appreciate yourself as-is, including the wrinkles, junk, and all.
It comes when we learn to to relish what is, recognizing that the less "pleasant" aspects are for us to see as tools for making more of the situation, life or of ourselves than first seen as possible. It is what we arrive at when we have become and are as a result of our inquisitive, learning natures as well as loving oneself- body, what one has done, heart and mind. - and loving others and the world in the same way - each "ingredient" a means for becoming and for going beyond.
Ultimately this self-acceptance grows, even blossoms when we see ourselves as a necessary, important part of the corner of the universe we are in. This relationship with the universe ( God, all God has created, called good, and seen good-when no one else would (seen in the life of Jesus) is to be treasured.

I have Traumatic Brain Injuries - but because I have had it so long, I have culled gifts from the pain, with no wishes for otherwise than what I am and have become. And the rest? it shall pass. And when I pass, that will be okay too - because I have experienced so much pain and suffering, and still come out relatively whole and still useful within the world - even at age 75.

Prior to my learning to accept myself, I felt like I was always observing and judging everything I did. I was an actor in a play, and everyone else was in my play to support or punish my behavior or my feelings. Slowly through years of group therapy in which I received lots of feedback about how other people viewed me, I began to see myself as a whole person who was good enough most of the time, and not so good at other times.

As I learned about how others saw me, I also recognized how I thought of myself. Since I had been left by my mother many times (and by my father) as a child, I thought I must not be good enough or lovable or smart enough. I continued in therapy for nearly 20 years, building and working on becoming my whole self. I went to college and eventually earned my Master's degree. That was a huge accomplishment for me and it went a little to my head. I was striving for perfection when I finally realized that no one is perfect. That didn't last long. I was in my 60s before I recognized my shadow self, even though I knew it was there. My husband helped me see that negative side of my behavior. He accepted all of me and continued to love me.

I accept myself as I am. I have worked over my life to learn and understand others as they are, and myself with all my emotions and experiences. One of the things I learned is that when I become aware of and accepting of others, I forget myself. I mean, I know I'm not the center of the universe for anyone other than myself. I read books, "On Becoming" by Carl Rogers, and his other books. I also read "Your Erroneous Zones" by Wayne Dyer, and "Women as Winners" by Dorothy Jongeward when I was in my 20s, and have read many other so called self help books. My friend once said I had a library of "How to be real books." I lent them out to others when they asked.

I have accepted and reconciled that I am fully human, with all that entails. I have lived, at 71, a very full, satisfying life.

Self-Acceptance - is to a total self appreciate yourself as-is, including the wrinkles, junk, and all.
It comes when we learn to to relish what is, recognizing that the less "pleasant" aspects are for us to see as tools for making more of the situation, life or of ourselves than first seen as possible. It is what we arrive at when we have become and are as a result of our inquisitive, learning natures as well as loving oneself- body, what one has done, heart and mind. - and loving others and the world in the same way - each "ingredient" a means for becoming and for going beyond.
Ultimately this self-acceptance grows, even blossoms when we see ourselves as a necessary, important part of the corner of the universe we are in. This relationship with the universe ( God, all God has created, called good, and seen good-when no one else would (seen in the life of Jesus) is to be treasured.

I have Traumatic Brain Injuries - but because I have had it so long, I have culled gifts from the pain, with no wishes for otherwise than what I am and have become. And the rest? it shall pass. And when I pass, that will be okay too - because I have experienced so much pain and suffering, and still come out relatively whole and still useful within the world - even at age 75.

Self-Acceptance - is to a total self appreciate yourself as-is, including the wrinkles, junk, and all.
It comes when we learn to to relish what is, recognizing that the less "pleasant" aspects are for us to see as tools for making more of the situation, life or of ourselves than first seen as possible. It is what we arrive at when we have become and are as a result of our inquisitive, learning natures as well as loving oneself- body, what one has done, heart and mind. - and loving others and the world in the same way - each "ingredient" a means for becoming and for going beyond.
Ultimately this self-acceptance grows, even blossoms when we see ourselves as a necessary, important part of the corner of the universe we are in. This relationship with the universe ( God, all God has created, called good, and seen good-when no one else would (seen in the life of Jesus) is to be treasured.

I have Traumatic Brain Injuries - but because I have had it so long, I have culled gifts from the pain, with no wishes for otherwise than what I am and have become. And the rest? it shall pass. And when I pass, that will be okay too - because I have experienced so much pain and suffering, and still come out relatively whole and still useful within the world - even at age 75.

My take on self-acceptance is informed by a lifetime of self-loathing and depression from it. While I don't suffer as I once did, and I have made great progress on living a life that is worthy of being labeled 'acceptable' by social standards, in the past couple of years of therapy and medical aid, I still have heavy scars to bear of over 50 years of negativity about myself. I don't have a notion of faith or worship to use, as I don't subscribe to those paths, but what I can do is to try to live the most virtuous life I can within my limitations. I have to face these limits every day, and it is a struggle for me, but I devote a great deal of thought to it continuously. I need to relax myself more to be less concerned with my errors of the past or present, and that, too, takes a lot of energy.

Prior to my learning to accept myself, I felt like I was always observing and judging everything I did. I was an actor in a play, and everyone else was in my play to support or punish my behavior or my feelings. Slowly through years of group therapy in which I received lots of feedback about how other people viewed me, I began to see myself as a whole person who was good enough most of the time, and not so good at other times.

As I learned about how others saw me, I also recognized how I thought of myself. Since I had been left by my mother many times (and by my father) as a child, I thought I must not be good enough or lovable or smart enough. I continued in therapy for nearly 20 years, building and working on becoming my whole self. I went to college and eventually earned my Master's degree. That was a huge accomplishment for me and it went a little to my head. I was striving for perfection when I finally realized that no one is perfect. That didn't last long. I was in my 60s before I recognized my shadow self, even though I knew it was there. My husband helped me see that negative side of my behavior. He accepted all of me and continued to love me.

I accept myself as I am. I have worked over my life to learn and understand others as they are, and myself with all my emotions and experiences. One of the things I learned is that when I become aware of and accepting of others, I forget myself. I mean, I know I'm not the center of the universe for anyone other than myself. I read books, "On Becoming" by Carl Rogers, and his other books. I also read "Your Erroneous Zones" by Wayne Dyer, and "Women as Winners" by Dorothy Jongeward when I was in my 20s, and have read many other so called self help books. My friend once said I had a library of "How to be real books." I lent them out to others when they asked.

I have accepted and reconciled that I am fully human, with all that entails. I have lived, at 71, a very full, satisfying life.

@gailb, @artscape- Good morning. What brave, and caring people you are. I find it easier to admit, accept, and change my shortcomings and then to fully divulge them to others on Connect, don't you?! I'm not a big reader on self-help books. Can you, or do you actually change after reading this type of book?

Self-Acceptance - is to a total self appreciate yourself as-is, including the wrinkles, junk, and all.
It comes when we learn to to relish what is, recognizing that the less "pleasant" aspects are for us to see as tools for making more of the situation, life or of ourselves than first seen as possible. It is what we arrive at when we have become and are as a result of our inquisitive, learning natures as well as loving oneself- body, what one has done, heart and mind. - and loving others and the world in the same way - each "ingredient" a means for becoming and for going beyond.
Ultimately this self-acceptance grows, even blossoms when we see ourselves as a necessary, important part of the corner of the universe we are in. This relationship with the universe ( God, all God has created, called good, and seen good-when no one else would (seen in the life of Jesus) is to be treasured.

I have Traumatic Brain Injuries - but because I have had it so long, I have culled gifts from the pain, with no wishes for otherwise than what I am and have become. And the rest? it shall pass. And when I pass, that will be okay too - because I have experienced so much pain and suffering, and still come out relatively whole and still useful within the world - even at age 75.