Acceptance and love of yourself is the only way you will ever be able to have a deep and meaningful relationship with someone.
You cannot accept others if you don’t accept you.
Accepting yourself and your experience is the precursor to being able to accept others. It’s like a key to a lock.
Without learning how to accept yourself (warts and all), you will not know what full acceptance feels like, and will not be able to give or receive it.
What happens on the inside get played out on the outside. If we cannot accept ourselves, we are in a position of rejecting ourselves to some degree.
Rejection and judgment of ourselves only leads to the same with others. These kind of relationships tend to be challenged by blame and disappointment.
Without acceptance and love of yourself, you might not understand how someone else could accept you and love you. You might even inadvertently thwart and deflect the love people try to give you.
What happens when you reject you? Disconnection from what I can tell… from not being seen, from feeling judged or disregarded.
Full Self Acceptance is the thing we all want. Sometimes we convince ourselves that we want other’s approval, but I think it’s our own acceptance and witnessing we are after.
So, what to do then?
Slow down, be with yourself, observe yourself (your thoughts, feelings and sensations), and accept yourself for who you are and where you are. Love you, so that you can love others and others can love you. Forgive yourself for not being perfect. Accept your humanity. Understand that no one is perfect.
You are going to make mistakes… that’s okay. It does not disqualify you from being accepted.
IMPORTANT: Spend time with people who are accepting and forgiving and limit time with judgmental people. Be in the energy of acceptance and love. Choose a circle that supports you and models for you this energy.
Acceptance of oneself and all of your foibles is the key to freedom and deeper and more meaningful relationships.