“No amount of self-improvement can make up for any lack of self-acceptance.”

– Robert Holden

One of my struggles has been my inability to accept myself wholeheartedly, including my flaws, imperfections, and past mistakes. I spent a lot of time trying to be perfect to the point where I found it difficult to accept certain aspects as part of me and my experience. 

Recognising your growth is a part of self-acceptance because you can accept that you may not have known better in the past, you may have acted in low vibrational ways, but you are no longer in that place. Self-acceptance allows you to embrace your present experience and appreciate how far you have come.  

I’ve learnt that a lack of self-acceptance can come from feelings of unworthiness. Feeling as though you are somehow destined for negative experiences in certain aspects of your life may have stemmed from the circumstances you were born into, your experiences, and past mistakes. This creates an inner conflict where you unconsciously remind yourself that you are unworthy because you believe you are fundamentally flawed, but this is not the case. It is your inability to accept yourself that will feed this narrative. 

Learning to accept the things I did or allowed as part of my experience and growth is the healthiest approach to self-acceptance. Many times when we find it difficult to let some things go, it is because there is still some shame attached to it. Those imperfections, things you deem to be flaws including your past experiences and mistakes, make up who you are. How can we truly say we love ourselves if we cannot accept ourselves? If we are constantly trying to erase the experiences that contributed to where we currently are in life?

And when you accept yourself, you remember that those who are for you and align with you will also accept you. But it can only begin when you accept you.

Ways to practice self-acceptance:

• Acknowledge and appreciate how far you’ve come.
• Remove the power of negative emotions.
• Practice self-forgiveness and self-compassion.
• Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
• Make peace with your past mistakes.
• Practice gratitude.
• Celebrate your accomplishments.
• Identify lessons from your past.
• Set intentions for your life.

Thank you for reading!

Love Erykah x