We Must Accept Ourselves As We Are

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We Must Accept Ourselves As We Are

• Part I

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Goals

• To clarify the qualities of a self-accepting
  person
• To identify the obstacles to self-acceptance that
  are in our lives and to begin to practice new
  attitudes that lead to self-acceptance

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Self-Accepting People

• 1. Are happy
• 2. Go out to others easily
• 3. Are always open to being loved and
  complimented
• 4. Are empowered to be their real selves
• 5. Are self-determining people

• 6. Are in good contact with reality
• 7. Are assertive
• 8. Accept themselves as they are right now
• 9. Are able to laugh at themselves often and
  easily
• 10. Have the ability to recognize and attend to
  their own needs

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Difficulties With Self-Acceptance

• Why do many of us have a hard time with
  self-acceptance?
• What are the causes of the inferiority complex?

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Our Bodies

• How does your body affect your self-acceptance?
• Do you like being who you are physically?
• If you were to look at yourself naked in the
  mirror, would you like what you see?

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Our Minds

• Are you comfortable with the amount and quality
  of intelligence youve been given?
• Do you compare yourself with others on this
  basis?
• Are you intimidated by others who seem mentally
  quicker or more informed than you?

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Our Mistakes

• Are you understanding and tolerant with yourself?
• Can you say and believe This is not the person
  I used to be, the old me. It is not the new
  person I am now, the new and present me.
• Do I realize that the old me has taught the new
  me many things?

8
Our Feelings

• Mood swings are common
• Are there emotions active in you that you allow
  to become an obstacle to joyous self-acceptance?
• Can you feel hurt, fear, anger, jealousy,
  resentment, self-pity, or even self-satisfaction
  without getting involved in self-criticism and
  self-condemnation?

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Our Personalities

• From what you know of your basic personality
  type, are you happy to be you?
• Does your personality seem attractive or
  regrettable to you?

10
Our Ethnicities

• Do we accept our nationalities? Am I happy to be
  who I am?
• Can I accept myself, my heritage, my nationality
  or ethnicity and still appreciate the total me?

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Our Social-economic Status

• Does your economic status keep you from
  self-acceptance?
• Do you feel inferior to those who have more than
  you financially?
• Are you embarrassed to identify where you live?

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Our Religions

• Is your religious background or religion an
  obstacle to self-acceptance?

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Our Gender

• Does your gender undermine your ability to accept
  yourself as a unique and special individual?
• Do you ever wish you were the opposite gender?

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Sexual Orientation

• Are you comfortable with your sexual orientation?
• Is it an obstacle to your own self-acceptance?

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Our Handicaps

• Do your handicaps undermine your ability to
  accept yourself as you are?
• Do you unfavorably compare yourself to others who
  do not have your same handicap?

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Small Group Assignment

• Which of the 10 obstacles to self-acceptance do
  you find hardest to accept about yourself? Why?
• What advice would you give to someone with a
  similar problem?
• Share in small groups.

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Obstacles to Self-Acceptance

• Our Bodies
• Our Minds
• Our Mistakes
• Our Feelings or Emotions
• Our Personalities
• Our Ethnicities
• Our Social-economic status
• Our Religions
• Our Gender
• Our Sexual Orientation
• Our Handicaps