What’s up my amazing FCB community!
What is Self-Acceptance?
Self-acceptance is the act of loving yourself, flaws and all, and it means accepting your body as it is without judgment or criticism. You may have heard that self-love is important–but what does that actually mean? And how do you go about doing it?
Self-acceptance is crucial for your mental health and well-being: when we don’t accept ourselves as we are, we’re more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety (1). In addition to this, there are many other benefits of self-acceptance, including increased confidence in social situations (2), improved physical health (3) and greater productivity at work (4).
The Cost of Perfectionism
Perfectionism is a trap that keeps us stuck in a “never enough” mindset. When we’re constantly comparing ourselves to an ideal, it’s impossible for our bodies to ever be good enough–and this can distort your perception of yourself as well.
For example, suppose you’ve been told all your life that you’re too fat or too skinny or too tall or too short or whatever else society deems unacceptable. In that case, even if you do achieve a specific size or weight goal (or even get close), there will always be some other aspect of yourself that needs improvement: maybe now my arms are too flabby; maybe now my stomach isn’t flat enough; now perhaps my butt isn’t round enough…the list goes on and on!
The bottom line is this: no matter what size/shape/colour/etc., there will always be someone out there who has something negative to say about how we look–and those comments can really mess with our self-esteem if we let them get under our skin (which happens more often than not).
It’s super important to remember you are more than your body shape, and that’s the least interesting part about who you are- remember your worth shouldn’t come from what you look like or what size you are, and if it does, you’ll never be happy.
In conclusion, self-acceptance is a journey that requires practice, patience, and compassion. It’s not easy, but it is worth it. If you’re struggling with self-acceptance, remember that you’re not alone and that it’s okay to ask for help.
This is still a daily struggle for me, but here are some things I do to help:
- Morning routine: I don’t go on social media for at least 1 hour, and I read my daily devotional, write my gratitude and or say them in prayer, and thank God for all my body can do this has been really helpful; I even save this for the shower and. in the shower I thank my body out loud each visible part and all the hard-working parts that are most important and internal.
- Go for a daily walk and get fresh air. This has been so therapeutic for me (don’t bring your phone). Your mind will quiet or not but pay attention to what thoughts come and go and try and focus on breathing and being outside – it’s also a great time to practice gratitude.
- I make sure I am nourishing my body- food truly affects my mood and energy level, and when I’m eating whole foods and getting all the right amounts, I feel good.
- I work out – lifting weights specifically; it makes me feel strong, which always boosts my mood and self-confidence.
- Sit with my feelings and allow myself to feel them, and ask myself why I feel this way sometimes; it’s due to looking on IG and comparing, so if it’s that, then I distance myself for a while, sometimes is because I’m not keeping my commitments I made and if its that then I accept it and start at that moment to do something to honour my health and well being.
What steps will you take today to practice self-acceptance?
Your transformation coach xo
Hannah