Each person is unique and our different qualities are what make us all so interesting. Yet most people have more negatives to say than positives about themselves and it feels like more people have a hard time accepting who they are. This can easily be attributed to the culture many influencers and celebrities promote, where only those with the best features and online followers are worthy.
The reality is that being yourself is the most important thing you can do in order to find true happiness. Expecting to find yourself through the eyes of others is not going to help you achieve your fullest potential and physically and mentally well. If you are ready to start the journey of learning and accepting yourself, here are some tips that can help you get there.
Why accepting yourself is so important
If you have ever struggled with not accepting who you are, you know just how much it can impact you mentally. When you’re not able to be your true self around others, you might have a hard time fitting in and forming real connections with others. This, along with the feelings you might have for yourself can impact your mental health significantly.
In addition to that, your mental health can affect how active you are on a day-to-day basis, and this can impact your physical health as well. Accepting yourself can help your mental health improve and you can finally let go of all the negative people and situations in your life.
1. Forgive yourself when you make a mistake
Forgiving yourself is important when learning to accept yourself. If you hold grudges over every single thing you mess up you will never be able to make progress in your life. You learn and grow through making mistakes and instead of beating yourself over them, use them as an important learning experience.
2. Embrace your identity
If you have been struggling with your sexual and gender identity, you need to give yourself a break from what everyone else has to say. Listen to your heart and give credit to your experiences. You know yourself better than anyone else, so try to start being honest with yourself and live in a way that makes you happy. Whether you end up looking for love on a bisexual dating app or you realize you are not interested in romance at all, accepting yourself and your identity is crucial.
3. Let yourself feel every emotion
Bottling up emotions and suppressing the way you feel is not good for you. Make sure that when you experience something exciting, or sad, you allow yourself to feel these emotions deeply. Even if others become surprised by your new reactions, accepting your more emotional side is a big part of accepting yourself the way you are.
4. Have a support system
When things get tough, or when you want to celebrate a big achievement, you need to have people around to share this with. A healthy support system is made up of people who will have your back and love you regardless. When you have this kind of support, it is a lot easier to be kinder to yourself and see your imperfections in a different light.
5. Set goals for the future
If you are struggling with accepting who you are, the future can be uncertain. One way to combat this is to start setting goals for the future and working towards achieving them. Not only will this help you build confidence, but it will also show you just how much you can achieve when you believe in yourself.
6. Know your strengths
Focusing on your weaknesses is easy and knowing your strengths can be very tough to acknowledge. The best thing you can do about this is to take a piece of paper and write down everything you believe you’re good at. If you run out of inspiration you can definitely ask a friend or family member their opinions. When you are struggling, keep this paper close and remind yourself just how much you are capable of.
7. Let go of things you can’t affect
Stressing over things that you wish had happened differently is very common and you might blame yourself for things you do or have done in the past. If you know you can’t change something, then try to start letting it go. Whether that is looks, academic achievements, or someone else’s expectations of you, be honest with yourself and get rid of anything you know you can’t affect.
Find happiness by being yourself
Embracing who you are and being open and proud about what makes you unique is very important. When you accept everything about yourself, it will become a lot easier to attract people into your life who also match this energy. This will greatly contribute to you feeling and being happier and excited about everything that life has to offer.
