In this BIT: Our top advice on how to practice self acceptance and self compassion, learn to love who you are, and be kind to you!
Nobody is perfect – not you, not me, not your best friend, celebrity idol, or favorite athlete. We often nit-pick ourselves, as we know our flaws and insecurities more than we know those of other people. However, in a world where criticism is not hard to come by, we need to find positivity within ourselves! Rather than nit-picking your flaws, shift that same energy and focus onto finding your strengths. As such, accept your flaws, come to terms with them, and learn to love who you are, as a person. We are only human – let’s give ourselves grace, practice self acceptance, and strive to evolve rather than fix.
We aren’t born insecure. Most of the time, when we feel insecure or flawed in an area, there is a reason. A critical step to accepting our imperfections is first to understand their origin – why do we feel that this is a flaw? In a Small Bits of Happiness interview, body image expert, Teri Hofford, shared that many insecurities stem from past events. Perhaps we were bullied for this trait in school, felt unworthy due to this trait, or constantly compare ourselves to others in real life and online. Understanding the stem of our ‘flaws’ can help combat or accept these feelings.
A lot of our thoughts are directed towards identifying and criticizing our flaws. Be kind to you and neutralize these feelings by focusing on your abundance of strengths! Make a list of five things that you are good at – be it in school, sports, co-curricular activities, or social-wise. Being a good, caring, helpful, and thoughtful person counts as a strength. In the future, when feeling insecure or abound by your flaws, look back on this list.
Shy. Irritable. Anxious. Competitive. These are a few examples of characteristics that we may label or consider flaws. An important reminder of self acceptance is to find joy in becoming, rather than being or having. Reflect on your flaws and take them as an opportunity to become a better version of yourself. For instance, if you think that a flaw of your character is being shy, make it a goal to share a compliment everyday! Turn your flaws into goals, and evolve with them. Utilize self compassion as a means to grow.
We hope that these tips to self acceptance help you love who you are, and find a small bit of happiness.
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Featuring quick videos created for teens by teens.