What comes to your mind when you think of summer? Do you long for warmer weather and can’t wait to spend more time with your friends? Or do you dread the day when the temperature increases because you’ll be forced to wear shorts?
Today, let’s talk about self-acceptance.
What is Self-Acceptance?
Self-acceptance is an act of loving yourself and acknowledging both your strengths and weaknesses. It’s slightly different from self-esteem, which might be low or high and depend on external markers. When you accept yourself, you know that you’re a worthy person even if you fail.
Here’s why you should practise self-acceptance this summer:
– When you accept yourself, you’re more likely to take risks and go after what you want in life
– You’re less likely to develop mental health issues
– Won’t have to worry about having anyone’s approval, which gives you the freedom to be yourself
– You bounce back after things don’t go your way
– You become a happier person in general
How to Accept Yourself
Whether you don’t like the way you look or your personality, it all boils down to that time someone has made you feel like you weren’t good enough. Because of your bad past experiences, you might now hold subconscious beliefs about yourself that are difficult to address and modify.
I’d be lying if I said self-acceptance is easy. It requires time, consistency and a lot of work, but you can take one step at a time.
1. Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
If you struggle to accept your appearance, Instagram might be a great tool. There you can find people who celebrate the quality you see as a flaw. However, scrolling on social media can also trap you in a comparison cycle. And this might make you feel even worse in the long run. It’s easier said than done so to lower the risk of comparison, try to limit your Internet use and unfollow those accounts that put you down.
2. Self-Acceptance Can Come From Positive Self-Talk
As the summer is in full force, you might see a lot of articles that advise you on how to become a better version of yourself. While the idea is great, sometimes the message is counterproductive. Sometimes it can even make you feel pressured to constantly improve all the time and only celebrate your achievements.
The true path to becoming a better version of yourself is embracing who you are, even if you might not be the best at anything. To let go of perfection and develop self-compassion, make sure you cheer yourself on whatever happens. If you don’t succeed at something, tell yourself that you did well. The kinder you are to yourself, the easier it will be for you to accept your shortcomings.
3. Find the Source of the Problem
Have you ever wondered why you don’t like yourself as much as you’d like to? Try to pinpoint where the belief that you aren’t good enough comes from. Is it because you were bullied at school or perhaps because you had to endure malicious comments from your family? If you don’t know where to start, keeping a diary where you write down your thoughts and emotions can be a great first step. Knowing how certain things affect you will increase your self-awareness and help you recognise that your inner narrative doesn’t always reflect reality.
For example, you might believe that you aren’t interesting because someone called you boring in the past, but it isn’t necessarily true. I’m sure that if you asked your friends, you’d find out that they see you in a much more favourable light than you do.
4. Create a strong support network
Studies show that forming close friendships can make you more resilient and better equipped to cope with life’s adversities, which contributes to higher self-acceptance. One way to see value in yourself is to be around people who truly care about you, so make sure you put aside time for your social life at least once a week, whether it means hanging out with friends or video calling your parents. And remember, it’s quality that matters, so focus on meaningful bonds instead of making many superficial connections.
