There is a tendency among people to think that when we accept things, we're being weak and allowing life to "have its way" with us, that we're relinquishing control over our lives. Nothing, though, could be further from the truth. Acceptance simply shows a great sense of awareness, and it allows us to be fully present in each moment as we make our ways through life.
Sometimes we get so caught up in seeing life as we want it to be that we're completely unable to see life as it is. When that happens, we're unable to deal with our situations as they are because we still see them as we want them to be.
The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.
Carl Rogers
Very often, our need to accept ourselves is our strongest need of all. We are who we are, and no amount of wishful thinking will make us someone else, will make us different. We are the product of our environments, the product of our genetic material, and the product of the choices and decisions that we've made and the thoughts that we have. We may be able to start right now to become someone different for tomorrow, but there really is no way of changing who we are at this moment. It's important to realize that we've done the best that we've can, we've made mistakes, and we've had our triumphs, and we are who we are. Accept that, and move on with your life, or deny it, and remain unable to make positive changes because you're not in touch with what really needs to be changed.
Acceptance is not giving up, and it's not being fatalistic, and it's not resignation. Rather, it's the healthy recognition of things as they are, a recognition that can help us to move on with our lives and improve them, and improve ourselves. Without acceptance, we continue to fight against forces that we deny even exist; with acceptance, we're able to work with life in order to make our lives and our experiences more positive and more fulfilling. - See more at: http://positive-thoughts.typepad.com/#sthash.pnyavBJ5.dpuf
Replies
acceptance of self, could be one of the hardest things a person can put him/her self throu, just as much as realization of who we are, propably on the same level as loving and accepting others. It maybe one of the first, if not first step into spirituality of body and mind .
I happened to be one of the luckiest people in the world having gone throu that process : I was a lost soul in my youth and early adults yrs, however had a awakening moment realizing self love must happened or I'll never live to be 30 yrs old. By self accepting, I believe that had prolonged my life for another 18 yrs eventhough I am having health problems and quite big one. I accepted that I had weird, crazy and fast life and ready to face what ever is coming...............................................good post , thanks.