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Posted by Dr. Irene on November 8, 2012 ? Leave a Comment?

By Ilenya Marrin -

A great deal of stress can be eliminated by the simple strategy of self-acceptance.

I said simple. It may not necessarily be easy, especially if you have a long history of ?beating yourself up? or ?putting yourself down? emotionally.

Key for Success and Less Stress

Self-acceptance is a huge key for life success and is a gate-keeper for stress reduction. When you accept yourself as you are, you eliminate the inner conflict that fuels so much of your stress.

Three Ways to Practice Self-Acceptance

You can use one or more of these strategies, depending on what appeals to you.

1. Positive Self-Talk

Consistently employ positive self-talk or affirmations. Come up with a meaningful statement or two such as the examples below and repeat them several times a day for several months. Be patient while these statements filter into your unconscious mind and take root. You may well be challenged with feelings of self-judgment, but continue with your positive statements to gently reduce the stress of inner judgment and conflict.

Examples:

I love and accept myself just as I am.

I accept myself. I accept that I?m always doing the best I know how with what I know and what I have to work with.

I am willing to accept myself now.

I accept myself as a wonderful person, always willing to learn, grow and improve.

2. Positive Assumption

If there is some aspect of yourself that stresses you out, or that you have not accepted or simply can?t stand, experiment with this. (Try picking one of those qualities for which you beat yourself up!)

Assume that this negative part of your personality makes some positive contribution to your life. Somehow, some way, even if you can?t see it, this obnoxious or loathsome or whiney part of you is providing something useful or worthwhile to your process of learning and growing.

Imagine that you have access to the grand plan for your life, and imagine what positive experience this seemingly negative aspect is providing in that grand scheme of things. (Hint: It is often a major opportunity for learning and self-mastery!)

Assume that your imagination is correct and begin to appreciate this apparently negative part of you for its role in the grand plan of your life. Think of this part as a character, one part of your psychological make up. Thank it for assisting you to grow. Praise it for its persistence. Love it, just because it is a part of you! Work with this aspect of yourself for two minutes a day for several days, and repeat as necessary. In my experience and that of many clients, when you stop fighting the negative aspect and start embracing and accepting it as it is today, amazing transformations can take place.

3. Imagination at Depth

Imagine that you are fully accepted now by the one person from whom you most wish that acceptance. This could be a parent, spouse, partner, sibling, friend, teacher, etc. How do you know you are being fully accepted? What does that look like? What is being said? What are the feelings? Whatever you imagine receiving from this person that indicates acceptance, identify the qualities or characteristics involved and begin to give these qualities to yourself.

For instance, if you have longed for acceptance from your absent father, you might imagine reconnecting with him and sitting over a meal together sharing affectionate stories of the times you missed being together. You imagine finally feeling the depth of his love and acceptance just by being in his presence.

You might then explore how you can give yourself love and acceptance by being present with yourself. How can you spend more time getting acquainted with your own inner self? Nature walks? Meditation? Yoga? Journaling? A personal growth workshop? Counseling? Some artistic expression or creative hobby? How can you be there for yourself the way you would like your father to have been there for you? As you consistently practice these forms over the next few months, you will be creating a powerful foundation of self-acceptance.

And if you would like more self-accepting and self-compassionate stress reduction tips, please sign up for my free newsletter, 17 Simple Stress Solutions, at http://www.powerofpersonalpeace.com/optin.htm

Dr. Ilenya Marrin is a personal peace consultant, inspirational speaker and author of ebooks The Power of Personal Peace: Reducing Stress by Loving Yourself from the Inside Out and 77 Loving Steps for Success.

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