In the self-help world, there’s a lot of talk about “accepting ourselves as we are” but is that really practical? If we really think we’re either too fat or too ugly or too poor, is that even possible?
The key to accepting ourselves is not to put up with the stuff we hate about ourselves, but rather accept ourselves as angry and disappointed with stuff about ourselves; then move on from there.
Accept Our Beliefs
The first thing to do is accept that these are BELIEFS about ourselves. It doesn’t matter if we got these ideas from our parents or society or TV ads, we’re the ones that are buying into them. You don’t need to accept what you hate… but at least accept how you FEEL about what you hate. At least that’ll be coming from a place of Truth.
Accept What We Cannot Change
Next it’s important to realize that we only have so much to work with. We may never look like the celebs we see on TV or be the richest person in the world… but we can look better and feel better. The key is in becoming comfortable with the “stuff” that makes us “us.” Embracing what we cannot change often brings us closer to our truer selves.
Accept What We Can Change
The biggest thing to stop us from making ourselves more like what we want is the belief (there’s that word again) that it “can’t be done.” When we believe it can’t be done, we’re right… and when we believe it can be done, we’re right too. Life is all about change. We can be a part of it.
Accept Responsibility
But it won’t happen if we do nothing about it… or if we rely on other people to do it for us. Success has no excuses. There’s no need to blame anyone or anything, but simply take control of the changes we want to see happen.
Accept the Change Itself
You want to know another reason why change never really happens? Because when it does happen, it’s rejected. Not just from ourselves, but also from the people around us. Sometimes family and friends undermine the efforts because they don’t want to accept the change… sometimes the new way is scary because it’s so different from our comfort zone, that we cheat and go back to our old ways. By accepting (in fact, by EMBRACING) the changes as they happen, they can take stronger root and grow.
In fact, the change itself is not the only thing that needs to accepted, but the changes that come along with the change. One thing leads to a dozen… and entire paradigms need to shift in order to become the new version of us.
To make it happen, we need to be willing to go all the way.
