self-acceptance

Last night (August 6, 2013), a TMSWiki forum call-in was an excellent exchange of members’ thoughts on the writings and posts on self-acceptance of Dr. Alan Gordon, director of the Pain Psychology Center in California whose TMS Recovery Program is offered free on TMSWiki.org/forum. I joined the discussion and this morning found quotations online from some famous people with their thoughts on self-acceptance:

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” – Marilyn Monroe

“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.” – Mark Twain

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of who you are.” -- Kurt Cobain”

“You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You, yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Gautama Buddha

“I don't know if I continue, even today, always liking myself. But what I learned to do many years ago was to forgive myself. It is very important for every human being to forgive herself or himself because if you live, you will make mistakes- it is inevitable. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. If we don't have that we never grow, we never learn.” – Maya Angelou, poet

“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn't try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn't need others' approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” – Lao Tzu, philosopher

“Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. Your really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.” –Lucille Ball

“I laugh at myself. I don't take myself completely seriously. I think that's another quality that people have to hold on to... you have to laugh, especially at yourself.” – Madonna

“It's not worth our while to let our imperfections disturb us always.” Henry David Thoreau

“You're always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.” – Diane Von Furstenberg, fashion designer

“Today Lord I am going to do my best with Your help and for Your glory. I realize that there are many different people in the world with a variety of opinions and expectations. I will concentrate on being a God-pleaser and not a self-pleaser or man-pleaser. The rest I leave in Your hands lord. Grant me favor with You and with men and continue transforming me into the image of Your dear Son. Thank You Lord.” – Joyce Meyer, author, Beauty for Ashes: Receiving Emotional Healing.

“You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” – Amy Bloom, author

“I feel like, God expects me to be human. I feel like, God likes me just the way I am: broken and empty and bruised. I feel like, God doesn't look at me and wish that I were something else, because He likes me just this way. I feel like, God doesn't want me to close my eyes and pray for Him to make me holy or for Him to make me pure; because He made me human. I feel like, God already knows I'm human...it is I who needs to learn that.” – C. JoyBell C, inspirational author

“When you stop living your life based on what others think of you real life begins. At that moment, you will finally see the door of self acceptance opened.” – Shannon L. Alder, author

“Self-acceptance is a way of viewing oneself compassionately, without condemnation or justification. It is a starting point in life which makes other things possible. It celebrates the fullness of joy of being alive and of being who we are: accepting ourselves, however, does not mean embracing our neuroses or bad habits and celebrating them as if they were virtues. On the contrary, self-acceptance involves loving ourselves enough to accept painful truths about ourselves. . . . Self-acceptance is, at its simplest, the experience of one's self, here and now, as a complete human being, with all the glories and problems that condition entails.” – Don Richard Roso, author, Personality Types: Using the Enneagram for Self-Discovery


“Recognize that there's something AMAZING about you. Everyone has something that comes very natural for them - natural gifts and talents. That gift/talent is that thing or things that comes easy for you, but hard for most. The greatness that is stored within was given to you, because it was meant to be used. Whether you've been running from it or haven't discovered it yet, it's there. It's your job to discover and master it. It wasn't given to you in vain, it's part of your purpose.” – Yvonne Pierre, author, The Day My Soul Cried: A Memoir

“The peak of happiness is attained when a person has accepted to be what he is.” – Ogwo David Emenike, author, Happiness Recipe: Eat and Stay Happy

“I found myself praying: "May I love and accept myself just as I am.” – Tara Brach, author, Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha

 

Why can't everyone accept me like my dog does?

 

Sounds like Norma Jean should have taken her own advice. Or maybe she did, but it came too late to save her?

BruceMC

 

Yes, Norma Jean should have taken her own advice. Or didn't take it in time.

 

I quite like a sign I saw in someone's office:

"Be yourself. Everyone else is taken."

 

That's a good one.

 

What a great dog !
Almost Identical to my old Lab. Hes not been around for 20 years but still miss the old fella.... my best friend for 14 years.

 

Annie is my little darling (big darling, actually).

 

Forest, I like those you mentioned too. Some good food for thought.