Self Acceptance Is Like A Muscle…

Posted on August 7th, 2008.

…We have to continually strengthen it, in order for it to function properly. 

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you understand that helping others find self-acceptance and love for themselves is a very important part of the “fitness” puzzle to me.  Too often, we work and work to achieve this ideal level of physical fitness, yet still feel unhappy with the results or even find something else about ourselves that we’re not happy with. I have discovered that any type of health kick or fitness regimen NEEDS to include ALL of the components of health…not just the physical aspects, but the emotional aspects as well. 

 

Over the years, as I have worked hard at finding self acceptance for myself - flaws and all - I have learned that it is NOT a one time thing you learn and then you never have a problem with again. Since everything about us is always changing - we need to constantly work on accepting ourselves - no matter what state we are in at the moment. 

 

Think about it. How are you going to feel about yourself when you are at a healthy weight, you’re wearing a brand new outfit that accentuates your assets and hides your flaws, you just got your hair highlighted and nails done at the salon, and you had plenty of sleep the night before? Most likely, you are going to be feeling pretty good about yourself. 

 

Now, let’s think about the flip side of that. How do you feel when you had a terrible nights sleep, your schedule has been so hectic that you haven’t washed your hair in three days, the only clean clothes you could find were a pair of old, worn out jeans that are too tight and a t-shirt you don’t feel comfortable in. And then to top it all off, when you look in the mirror you find three new zits that seem to have appeared overnight! How are you going to feel about yourself in THIS situation. Probably not so great. 

 

Let’s face it. We all have days where we feel better about ourselves than other days. And unfortunately, there are even days where we feel down right icky about ourselves. The thing that is so important to remember however, is that on those “icky” days, we are still the same person that we were on those “good” days. So why let ourselves get down?  

 

On days like these, we especially need to exercise our “self-acceptance” muscle. How do you do that you might ask? Well basically, it’s all in the way you think. You have to force the negative thoughts you may be thinking about yourself, completely OUT of your mind and you have to replace them with good thoughts. It almost sounds too simple to do, but in reality, it can feel like a wrestling match is going on in your brain. 

 

For example: You are having an “icky” day and have to run to the grocery store. As you find yourself among other people, what thoughts are running through your head? Are they negative things like this?

“Oh how embarrassing. I look so awful and look at her. She is so skinny and pretty and perfect. I just wish I could hide.” Or what about this? “Ugh…I look so fat. I know that girl is looking at my thighs and thinking I’m disgusting.” Here’s another one. “I better hurry and turn my cart around and go the other way so I don’t run into that guy I knew in high school. I would be so embarrassed to run into him looking like this.” 

 

It’s those types of thoughts that can literally ruin our day and ruin our self perception. As you hear your inner voice say those negative things over and over again, your subconscious mind will actually start thinking them all of the time. It becomes a habit. So eventually, even on those days where you have every reason in the world to feel good about yourself, your mind will tell you reasons why you shouldn’t. 

 

Be aware of what thoughts are going through your mind. Sometimes, we think negative things about ourselves, without even realizing we are doing it. Pay attention! And when those negative thoughts creep in your mind - use your “self acceptance” muscle and tell yourself something positive. Be a little more lenient on yourself. It’s okay if you don’t have great, “put-together” days all of the time. None of us do! It’s okay if you are a little over weight right now and are working on it. Don’t let the tiny size of someone else get you down. 

 

Loving and accepting yourself takes work and dedication. Just like losing weight or strengthening your muscles - it is a daily habit we must do in order to truly benefit. If you can start to accept yourself more and more often - flaws and everything - you will feel so much more peace in your life. You won’t be burdened by a constant negative nag in your mind. Sometimes, accepting yourself the way you are, can seem too hard to do, but don’t stop trying. Keep at it! Remind yourself often that you are beautiful and that you were created to be beautiful. And finally, make sure you tell yourself that the spirit inside of you is what truly matters in life. Take care of it and the rest of you will feel beautiful too. 

 

 

This article was featured on www.personalhack.com and www.ourbestversion.com. For more great articles, click HERE. 

 

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