What is radical self-acceptance?
It's the practice of fully acknowledging and accepting us as we are right now,
Without denying,
Running from or avoiding any aspect.
It's us accepting the good.
But also the bad,
The ugly,
The unknown,
The parts of us that are changing and our potential for the future.
It's important because if we don't accept who and what we are,
We cannot hope to make any sort of changes.
I like to approach radical self-acceptance with a dialectic look at it.
Growth.
It's like I'm going to love myself.
Whilst trying to fix myself.
I accept myself fully.
This is my reality.
This is who I am.
These are the good traits.
These are the bad traits.
These are the meh traits.
These are the things that I would like to work on.
The things that are doing well.
All of it.
This is who I am.
Radical self-acceptance also involves us accepting the past.
Things happened to you.
Full stop.
You don't have to like them.
You don't have to approve upon them.
But they happened.
If we can accept what happened.
If we can become aware of it and take action.
We can actually make a difference in our life,
Right?
Things happened.
We don't have to approve upon it,
But we must accept it if we want to be able to move and grow and become what we can or could or want to become.
There are a number of ways to practice radical self-acceptance.
The most simplest.
Is whenever something arises in the mind.
In the body.
You simply say the words,
I accept.
Because what else can you really do?
Your mind's wandering.
I accept the fact that it's wandering.
It's focused.
I accept the fact that it's focused.
Something's triggering you.
You accept the fact that that thing has triggered you based on something that happened in the past,
And we accept that.
I'm not saying this is easy.
Can be one of the hardest things to do to accept the truth of reality.
But it is one of the most profound practices because through acceptance,
True deep acceptance,
There is a peace that will come over you because you're not fighting reality anymore.
You can't fight reality.
It's like trying to stop the waves.
Stop a river.
It's impossible.
But once we start to accept deeply and truly,
We no longer fight the waves,
We start surfing them.
We roll with it and become.
Well,
From a Taoist perspective,
You become one with the Tao.
You work with reality.
You respond to it.
You adapt.
And from that place you can then make value aligned actions.
I encourage you to sit with.
For a moment at least,
Whatever arises.
And just say,
I accept.
Now remember.
You can accept something.
Without approving of it.
You do not have to like reality.
You don't have to like your past.
But you must accept it.
Is only by acceptance can you make changes.
Love yourself.
Whilst fixing yourself.
Except reality.
So that you can make changes to it.
Not trying to make changes beyond your capacity or ability.
But the changes that you can make.
Acceptance.
With awareness of what's arising.
I wish you luck.
