As I learn self-acceptance, I have less need to rely on others to feel tall.
~ Kathy Kendall ~
How do we develop self-acceptance? What does it feel like? During the initial stages of our recovery, self-acceptance probably didn’t sound all that difficult to attain. But now we know the truth: practicing self-acceptance is rarely easy. Judging ourselves as failures and putting ourselves down for our mistakes has become habitual and “easy” to do; practicing self-acceptance, by contrast, is at first much more difficult.
While struggling to like ourselves, we perhaps fall easily into the trap of building ourselves up by judging others. As our recovery strengthens, however, we feel increasingly uncomfortable, even shameful, about judging others. And shame makes us feel even less acceptable.
Coming to believe that we have been chosen for this journey, that we have a caring Higher Power who loves us, is the best route to self-acceptance. When we’re finally comfortable with the idea that we each have a gift that’s unique, we’ll no longer struggle to accept ourselves.
I really am as good as I need to be today. Being here, now, means I have a unique gift to give.
© 1994 by Hazelden Foundation
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This post first appeared on Essentials Of Recovery #essentialsofrec, please read the originial post: here
