How to Accept Yourself, Your Life, and Your Reality!

It can be hard to accept yourself, your life, and you the reality that you live. Maybe you don't like your future prospects, or dislike an aspect of your personality, or some days you don't like something about how you look. It is common for people to be critical of themselves, but there are a number of ways to learn to accept yourself and your life.

1

Acknowledge your strengths. It's so easy to look in the mirror and point out your insecurities. But, instead of counting all the things you wish you could be, try counting all the things that you are. Make a list of your strengths, such as the things you are good at, the values that you hold, and the friends that you have.

• If you are having trouble brainstorming what your strengths are, ask a friend or family member what they think are your most positive traits.

2

Be honest with yourself. This is one of the hardest things for many of us to do, but it is a necessary step toward navigating your life. In many of today's societies that focus on the individual, we are encouraged to strive for success, and often we look for praise as the acknowledgment of that success. We take any criticism as a negative thing, so we shy away from seeing anything about ourselves that elicits that reaction.

• To try to be honest with yourself, imagine that you are observing yourself through a stranger's eyes. Ask yourself what that person thinks about you, and be as objective as possible based on the facts, rather than what you think about yourself.

3

Admit Mistakes. Remember that you can't fix it until you can admit there is a problem. You can view mistakes that you make as learning opportunities, as ways to get where you want to go in life.^[3] Have faith in yourself, realize only you can change you, only you can control your destiny. Decide what is important to you and set your mind to it. Remove self-doubt and have faith you can become what you envision.

• When you realize that mistakes are learning opportunities and that your reality isn't always fixed, you will be more likely to persist in the face of challenge, to persevere, and to grow in meaningful ways.

4

Talk to someone you trust. Vent your feelings about your life to a friend or family member who cares for you and will give you the attention that you need. You may find that just by putting your thoughts out in the open that you realize that they are excessive or that your life isn't so bad after all.

• If you don't feel like just venting, try asking your friend or family member for advice on how to change or improve your life in the ways that you don't want to accept.

5

Seek professional help. Sometimes it is easier or more efficient to get outside help from a professional. A therapist can help you to learn to accept yourself and your reality. This could be a psychologist, a psychiatrist, or a licensed counselor or other mental health professional.