Last week we spoke about self-love, what it means, and ways in which you can practice self-love. In addition to fostering self-love, I encourage you to work towards self-acceptance.
Forbes describes self-acceptance as embracing your entire being, both flaws and successes. Furthermore, self-acceptance means being at peace with your failures and accomplishments.
When we have worked towards self-acceptance it allows us to overcome adversity, as we understand that our mistakes are not representative of us as human beings, rather they are a natural part of life. Working on self-acceptance is challenging. As humans, we tend to be critical of ourselves rather than approach situations with understanding and kindness. While self-acceptance can be difficult, and is a lifelong process, there are small steps we can take each day to foster self-acceptance to improve our well-being.
Forbes explains two simple tips to improve self-acceptance are:
- Mindfulness – practising mindfulness helps us to sit with our thoughts, letting negative thoughts come and go while remaining in the present moment. Allowing these thoughts to rise and pass allows us to build our ability to accept our entire being for all that it is.
- Journal – daily journaling allows us to put our inner thoughts onto paper, taking time to reflect, which we don’t always do when thinking subconsciously. When journaling, we become aware of unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours, allowing us to reflect and decide whether we accept these or change them. Journaling also allows us to have a broader perspective on life.
Personally, I have included both mindfulness and journaling into my routine, and have found them helpful in not only fostering self-acceptance but also self-love. These practices can help in many areas of life, and I encourage you to give at least one a go, and see how it changes your well-being!