We often set standards for ourselves that are too high because society expects us to be perfect. We forget that everybody has flaws, even the people we perceive to be perfect. But who decides what is perfect? Who sets the standards we feel we need to live up to?
Self-acceptance, self-love, and self-compassion are essential for our overall health and happiness. These attributes affect not only our mental and emotional health but also our physical health in very real and concrete ways. While it may sound “out there” or “woo-woo”, when we don’t accept ourselves fully, we are ever so subtly cutting ourselves off from the life force energy that gives and sustains life. It happens on a very subtle level, but over time this disconnection from the full potential of life force connection can manifest with concrete health issues.
Think of it another way. When there are parts of ourselves that we don’t accept, we are literally warring with ourselves internally. And when both parties in that war are actually parts of you, guess who loses, regardless of the outcome?
We all have flaws – that’s what makes us human. Everybody makes mistakes – that is the only way we can learn and grow. Accepting our flaws and forgiving ourselves for mistakes, or put another way, reconciling all those conflicting parts in us is crucial to our health and happiness, and to generally achieving our greatest potential as humans.
HEALTH ISSUES ARISE WHEN WE DON’T ACCEPT OURSELVES
Since judging ourselves harshly actually constricts and generally lowers the qi in our body, it can play a role in virtually all manner of physical, mental, and emotional health problems. Here are just a few examples:
· Lower self-acceptance causes a higher rate of oxidative stress which can set many health problems in motion, like cardiovascular disease.
· Denying who you are can result in low self-esteem. When pushing yourself to be someone else you’ll feel like you’re living a lie and a life that’s not your own. If you ignore your inner voice telling you to just be who you are, unhappiness will become overwhelming. When we lack happiness and joy in our lives, we are missing out on a big source of nourishment.
· You may develop a victim mentality from believing what others say about you or tell you how you should act. In the end, you’ll serve someone else’s agenda and not your own.
· Not accepting yourself will result in not trusting yourself, which will impact self-confidence. Self-pity and self-hate are natural next steps. These inhibit growth and improvement.
· All of the above can set anxiety and depression in motion.
· These issues can often result in overeating or eating unhealthy comfort food, which can cause serious health problems, including obesity.
· Lack of self-acceptance often leads to inactivity. When we judge ourselves we often lack the ability to motivate to do things that we know are good for us, like exercise, getting good sleep and eating nutritious foods.
WHY DO WE LACK SELF-ACCEPTAN...
