For Higher Well-Being, Try Self-Acceptance

I find self-acceptance easier to strive for and more sustainable than positive self-esteem. As a therapist, I’ve focused on the concept for a long time. The academic definition is “an individual’s acceptance of all of his/her attributes, positive or negative,” and science indicates that it’s linked to high self-esteem, interpersonal satisfaction, and affect regulation (Morgago et al., 2014, p. 1). Liu and colleagues reported that “people with low self-acceptance develop psychological and behavioral problems” (2023, p. 1).

The idea of self-acceptance typically draws out pushback. Consistently, the term seems to bring up the following concerns. People worry they’ll not reach their potential if they accept themselves. They express judgment about embracing their “bad” traits. I expand and explain the concept from my view.

Self-acceptance means greeting all the different parts of you with bravery and compassion. Contrary to popular belief, self-acceptance does not mean to stop growing. Knowing yourself + self-compassion + reality = self-acceptance.

Here’s what I mean.(Click for full article)