One of my favorite quotes is by Dr. Robert Holden. He said, “No amount of self-improvement can make up for a lack of self-acceptance.” Almost all of us know someone who has spent hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars trying to fix themselves from the outside in.
I believe that if you only focus on the external you miss an opportunity to see yourself the way you are meant to be seen; as a divine and perfect being just as you are in this very moment.
To illustrate my point, I came up with these 4 Steps to S.E.L.F Acceptance
S.E.L.F– Spiritual Enlightenment through Laughter & Forgiveness
S– Spiritual awakening goes hand in hand with physical development. Synchronizing your body and your mind eliminates self-doubt. “When the body and mind are in sync, we are naturally relaxed, alert, open, and aware, and we experience ourselves and the world in a direct, unmediated way, without conceptual filters.”- Eckhart Tolle. This can be done through daily meditation and/ or yoga practice.
E– Enlightenment is the result of being well-informed. Self-exploration and discovery allow you to really know yourself and accept who you are, and what your soul’s purpose for this life is. Be courageous enough to show the real you. Pretending to be something you’re not is a huge drain on your energy and lowers your vibration. Because you are really an energy amplifier, raising your own vibration raises the vibration of the people around you as well as the entire planet.
L– Laugh it off! Don’t take yourself too seriously. Having a sense of humor and learning to laugh can have serious health benefits. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Laughter is about being present. When you laugh you enjoy the here and now. There are therapeutic benefits to laughter and for this reason, it is one of the 12 Habits of Highly Healthy People. Research shows laughter offers us health benefits in four health dimensions: physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual.”
F– Forgiveness helps you focus on your situation right now, instead of letting yourself become distracted by what you can’t control. All you have is right here and right now. If you agree to always do your best, the future will take care of itself. Let go of resentment and guilt. An article in Psychology Today says people who regularly practice forgiveness have better physical health (more stable hormones and healthier immune systems) and mental health (experience less depression and anxiety).
The bottom line is this, self-improvement is great, but without self-acceptance, you never evolve into the person that you are truly meant to be. It’s time to take responsibility for uplifting your life by really getting to know yourselves on the soul level. It’s easy to put the blame on others, but, when the rubber meets the road, your choices are your own. Each one of us must find our inner value and learn to stay grounded in a place of peace and compassion.
