The Value of Acceptance

First, begin with accepting yourself

Dr. King will forever be remembered for his commitment to insuring equality for all. If he were alive today, I believe he would want us to move from learning how to tolerate each other to accepting one another.

You may be wondering, “What’s wrong with tolerance?” In the grand scheme of things, there’s nothing wrong with tolerance and there is a time and place for it. The issue is whether or not tolerance is helpful for us at this point in our evolution.

The answer is not anymore.

When we tolerate someone, we put up with them but we really don’t like them, nor do we intend to ever like them. We are essentially choosing not to say something – until they leave.

However, when we accept someone, we allow them to become a part of us and our group. We look inside to see how they are a reflection of us and use that reflection to help us grow and become better than who we are today.

The best way to begin to accept others is to accept ourselves and identify how we can become better by doing things differently. How can we engage and understand people differently by using them as a mirror to look at ourselves?

Below is a simple exercise on how we can start to have healthier interactions that lead to a greater understanding and acceptance of ourself and others.

 Simple Exercise:

1) Pick a situation that didn’t end so well.

2) Make sure the situation is safe and not emotionally stirring for you.

3) Identify what you needed and wanted.

4) Try to imagine what the other person needed and wanted.

5) Identify what you could have done differently to move towards are more peaceful or win-win ending.

If you’d like to see more about in my interview on You & Me this Morning!

Dr. Jinnie Cristerna is a psychotherapist, RoHun Doctor, author, and national mental health expert located in Chicago, IL. Dr. Cristerna works with talented and ambitious indviduals, families, and corporations to help them break through and heal psychological roadblocks limiting their success. To learn more about Dr. Cristerna go to www.HighAchiever.net 

Read more on JetMag.com: http://www.jetmag.com/life/moment-of-clarity-life/value-acceptance/#ixzz4SwEJkLzs
Follow us: @getjetmag on Twitter | GetJetMag on Facebook