10 ways to practice self-acceptance (2024)

FAQs

10 ways to practice self-acceptance? ›

Self-acceptance is defined as “an individual's acceptance of all of their attributes, positive or negative.” [1] When we're self-accepting, we embrace every part of ourselves, not just the “positive” things! Self-acceptance is unconditional—you can recognize weaknesses, but still fully accept yourself.

Self-acceptance is defined as “an individual's acceptance of all of their attributes, positive or negative.” [1] When we're self-accepting, we embrace every part of ourselves, not just the “positive” things! Self-acceptance is unconditional—you can recognize weaknesses, but still fully accept yourself.

Think about what you would do if you could accept what happened (and then do those things as though you had already accepted what happened). Imagine what things would be like if you accepted the situation. Use relaxation strategies, mindfulness practices, journaling, and self-reflection to understand your emotions.

Don't compare yourself to others: Try to be a better version of your previous self, instead of making comparisons to others. Focus on positivity: Make an effort to see the silver lining in every situation. Rather than focusing on what you did wrong, try to identify at least one thing you did right.

Practicing mindfulness, gratitude, and self-forgiveness, spending time with positive, non-judgmental people, and connecting with a therapist are all techniques you can try to cultivate self-acceptance over time.

We can start by viewing acceptance as a journey, a progression of evolving perspectives and attitudes toward a situation. Considering the following four phases may be helpful: resistance, resignation, acceptance and embracing.

The key is practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness is both a set of skills and an orientation to life that involves maintaining open attention on whatever is happening in the present moment and bringing an attitude of acceptance and openness to whatever is going on internally or externally.

What are 5 self-care strategies? ›

Self-acceptance doesn't come naturally to all of us. If you've been exposed to messages that say you're unworthy or inferior, you might find it harder to accept every aspect of yourself. However, it's possible to nurture your self-acceptance and learn to meet yourself with compassion and care.

Some of the many causes of low self-esteem may include: Unhappy childhood where parents (or other significant people such as teachers) were extremely critical. Poor academic performance in school resulting in a lack of confidence. Ongoing stressful life event such as relationship breakdown or financial trouble.

Accepting ourselves unconditionally is difficult because we must give up the fantasy that if we punish ourselves enough with negative thoughts, we'll change. It's as if we think we can whip ourselves into shape by saying things like: I'm weak for feeling any anxiety. I'm abnormal because I'm quiet.