Acceptance is a topic that is often discussed in the mental wellness world but there are different concepts of acceptance. In psychology, acceptance generally means accepting present time thoughts and feelings. This means that we need to learn to accept our emotions and feelings and sit in those emotions and feelings instead of brushing them off. This may sound confusing or counterintuitive to a happy life but learning to accept yourself exactly where you are in each moment has positive outcomes. Learning not to be too hard on yourself for experiencing negative emotions in certain situations can be hard but it is an important skill. It is equally important to accept in the present moment how you feel emotionally or about a certain situation but then allow yourself to move forward.

Acceptance can include:

Accepting yourself: accept you are human and there will be good and bad days, you will need constant improvement, you won’t always be exactly where you want to be in life at all times, but change can occur. 

Accepting your reality: your reality can change in any given moment. Accepting your reality in the present has positive outcomes. Don’t dwell if you aren’t exactly where you want to be, accept it, and make strides to better your outcome. 

Accepting your role: accept any role you have played in your present reality, good or bad. Begin to plan your next steps if you aren’t happy where you are.

Accepting the struggle: there will be plenty of struggles in life, but we need to learn to navigate those struggles and be present with them in order to overcome them.

Accepting change can happen: if you aren’t happy with where you are at the present moment, accept it and make a plan to make a change. Accept the negative feelings and emotions but make goals to change your reality. 

Acknowledging and accepting your situation for what it is in the present moment is the first step in moving forward. Awareness and acceptance of your reality allows for personal growth to occur. All that being said, you should not just accept your situation and that is that. Acceptance allows for you to give yourself grace and move forward in a better direction.