Self-Acceptance

To accept myself completely means?
To ponder this question is interesting. What does it mean to me to accept myself completely? Does it mean I condone all those habits and actions that I feel are mistakes? Is it to overlook all the bad decisions I've made? Is it to say all those failures were perfectly okay? No, funnily enough, self-acceptance does not mean we condone actions that should never be condoned - self acceptance is not a condoning state of mind, it is an understanding, compassionate, and willing to change state of mind. Yes, most of all, self-acceptance is a willing to change state of mind. and isn't that what we are looking for when we are faced with the reality of habits such as overeating?
Eating when full, the binge, none of us are proud of this habit but accepting it means that we approach it with understanding and compassion and the ability to change. Acceptance is gentle and wise, and in that gentleness and wisdom self-acceptance gives us room to change, gives us the ability to change. Self-condemnation is harsh, lacking in real understanding, devoid of compassion leaving us debilitated when it comes to changing that habit.
Self-acceptance is a major part of giving up eating when full, and I have a full chapter on it in my book True Slimness available from www.trueslimness.co.uk
If you work at developing your self-acceptance now, you simply take it witnh you as you get slimmer as the direct result of eating when hungry and stopping when full.
Sofia