Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE
“The greatest gift that you can give to others is the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.”Brian Tracy
Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE
Time Tested Beauty Tips ~ By Sam Levenson (1911-1980)
From his book: “In One Era & Out the Other”
For attractive lips, Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, Let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, Walk with the knowledge you’ll
never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored,
renewed, revived, reclaimed and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you’ll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older you will discover that you have two hands;
one for helping yourself,
the other for helping others.
Motivation Mondays: SELF-ACCEPTANCE When we look in the mirror, what do we see? Do we see our lives as abundant and fulfilling? Or lacking and unsatisfying? Some folks are motivated to achieve great success just so they can be accepted and liked by others. Often, what happens is they wake up one day surrounded by their expensive toys and feeling empty. They have sacrificed their self-worth at the altar of material things and seeking approval. To be truly fulfilled, our drive or motivation for accomplishment must come from a place of service. It must come from the knowledge that we have skills that will benefit others; we know who we are and what gives us joy and we want to share it. If we can let go of judgement and help others, we will experience the abundance that is inherently ours to enjoy. It begins with Self-Acceptance.
Instead of focusing attention on what others are doing/not doing, spend time with yourself and examine your flaws. Look at them closely. Remove the mask and accept yourself. Embrace who you are with love and compassion. We all have flaws. Are you less human because you are flawed? No. So why are you expecting perfection from others and judging them harshly? Think about it.
Each of us has flaws and yet we have loved ones who accept us. Until we learn to accept ourselves fully, warts and all, we will have a hard time accepting others without judging them. What is it about X that annoys the heck out of us? Perhaps there is something they do or say that triggers an emotional reaction in us. If we spend some time in reflection, we will learn that our disdain for X is our issue not X’s. Let it go. Are we constantly at battle with ourselves and avoid any conversations about self-acceptance? Oprah offers a tool to help us see where we are. Take the Abundance Test. Try it. It begins with Self: I love and accept myself. Yes, our love for self flows out into the larger world where it becomes our love, understanding and respect for others. What messages do you feed yourself daily? How do those messages motivate you and your life?
“The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.” Nathaniel Branden
Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE
Robert Holden’s thought for the day: Without acceptance, anger will enrage you. Without acceptance, guilt will shame you. Without acceptance, anxiety will torment you. Without acceptance, sadness will depress you. Without acceptance, loneliness will isolate you. Without acceptance, love cannot love you.
Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE Of OTHERS George Orwell made a great point when he said that “Happiness can exist only in acceptance.” Think about it. If we open our hearts and minds to the diversity that exists on earth, we will soon find that there is no difference between us. We choose to create divisions. Take a close look at the picture above which shows the diversity in the animal world, What does it tell you? For me, it reminds me that every life form, including humans, contributes something of value to the ecosystem, to our interconnections and to our world. By the same token, when we dismiss diversity and other cultures, we are saying something about ourselves and our training. Our interconnections are as unique and varied as the range of plant and animal life.
Acknowledging our diversity and individuality doesn’t remove us from our human community nor does it impinge on our views, preferences and expectations. We can appreciate the variety in life and not lose ourselves or beliefs. Does our individuality separate us from the whole? I don’t think so. We can learn to accept differences in our world while maintaining love and respect for our own faith and beliefs. Find the seed of acceptance deep inside, it is linked to peace and happiness…
We all need to be nourished and refueled … and being nourished requires that we nourish others too. Are you balancing your service to others with service to yourself? Here’s another one from Oprah: Take The Sacrifice Test It suggests that being authentic means being true to myself in my closest relationships and accepting others rights to be true to who they are. Acceptance means letting go of any form of prejudice; including racial, religious and cultural intolerance. If we cannot appreciate the diversity that exists on all levels on our planet, if we cannot see ourselves in others, then we have not fully understood the true meaning of acceptance… What are you doing to embrace acceptance in your life?
The details for Motivation Mondays are below. Join in! The themes for December are:
12/01 – Acceptance
12/08 – Busyness
12/15 – Compassion
12/22 – Joy
12/29 – Regret
More Below!
“The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE
Acceptance by Robert FrostWhen the spent sun throws up its rays on cloud
And goes down burning into the gulf below,
No voice in nature is heard to cry aloud
At what has happened. Birds, at least must know
It is the change to darkness in the sky.
Murmuring something quiet in her breast,
One bird begins to close a faded eye;
Or overtaken too far from his nest,
Hurrying low above the grove, some waif
Swoops just in time to his remembered tree.
At most he thinks or twitters softly, ‘Safe!
Now let the night be dark for all of me.
Let the night bee too dark for me to see
Into the future. Let what will be, be.’
Motivation Mondays: ACCEPTANCE not TOLERANCE
Every day, on the news, in our homes, everywhere we turn, we hear and see judging, critiquing, condemning and hating in our world. We fuel our minds and hearts with some of this garbage and walk around feeling burdened and angry. We need to declare a Global Acceptance Day in the vein of International Peace Day. Just like every major holiday gives us food for thought, on Acceptance Day, we’ll own our prejudices, burn them in the fire of acceptance, bite our tongue, withhold negative views and say nothing hurtful about ourselves and others.
If we could all feel motivated to step away from our rigid views and beliefs and accept not tolerate others, our lives would lighten up and we will see our joy spread. Try this for the rest of the week; every person you see, stranger or friend, say to yourself: I see You. I accept You … as You are. If we all said it enough, we would see great movement in the world to respect others in our global family. What are your thoughts? Where do you find acceptance?
Motivation Mondays is open to anyone who wishes to share a motivational quote, photo, personal challenge or a post that encourages others to start the week on an upbeat note.
Basic Instructions: Each week, I will have a motivation word to help us create a response. (See listed words for end of November and all of December below)
Email address: You may email or share your post as a comment and I will add it to the round-up of related posts. email it to: contact(@)mirthandmotivation(.)com
Category tag: – Share your post using Motivation Mondays
Twitter hashtag: – Use this on Twitter #MotvnM
Dedicated Page: There is a dedicated page for Motivation Mondays. It has the same instructions and will include other helpful tools and a link to the round-up
Facebook Page: MotivationOnMondays Join our page and add your post and/or any motivational piece you think will be helpful to others.
Facebook Community: We have a Facebook community forum to compliment the page. It serves as another way to share uplifting posts and thoughts. Please join in and add your voice.
Badge: – I created a fun badge using PicMonkey’s free photo editing tools. You can create your own, use WordPress’ integrated tool on your blog or you are welcome to use mine. (see dedicated page)
Tag: – Motivation Mondays
Hashtag: – #MotvnM
Positive Motivation Tip: Acceptance begins with us; our perceptions of ourselves and the things that stand in our way of joy. Then it shifts to our perceptions of others and the prejudices we uses as excuses for our intolerance. Embrace and love yourself so you can learn to embrace others.
Related Posts
- Motivation Mondays: Forgiveness (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Courage (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: Dream (mirthandmotivation)
- Motivation Mondays: CHANGE (mirthandmotivation)
- What Does Courage Mean To You? (detoutcoeurlimousin)
- Blog Lessons Learned on the Road (nomadicchica)
- Magic Monday (loudthinkin)
- BW Photo Challenge Day 2 (thelegendaryukayista)
- RIP Zig Ziglar: King of Motivation… (mirthandmotivation)
- Reflections: Be The Change… (mirthandmotivation)
PHOTO CREDITS/ATTRIBUTIONS: All Photos: Self in mirror, Animal Diversity, via Wikipedia and Acceptance not Tolerance by Juan Manuel Cruz del Cueto via Flickr
Until Next Time…
Ask. Believe. Receive. ©
Elizabeth Obih-Frank
Mirth and Motivation
Positive Kismet
Trackbacks
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Sometimes being accepting isn’t always an easy thing. I think if we try more, the world will be a better place.
Exactly. It’s never easy to shift our thinking or change but it’s worth the effort
This is what we give our kids.. sometimes it doesn’t come across that way. We accept ourselves for who we are and our kids for who they are and will be
True… It has to start at home and early. I agree.
The greatest acceptance comes at home and echoes out from there. I really love how you talked about the difference between acceptance and tolerance.
Thank you Liz. I always look forward to your feedback because you always add something to make me think. It does begin at home.
what a lovely post. it’s important to be conscious of acceptance – both of ourselves and others. Only then can we connect authentically with each other.
Thank you Ema! It does begin with us… 🙂
Reblogged this on frijasroxanne.
Thank you! 🙂
Acceptance will give you a happier life and a sense of peace.
You know, I’ve got to say, I am really a fan of your blog and your amazing writing. It’s amazing. 🙂
Jennifer, Thank you! The sentiments are mutual and keep up your good work. 🙂
I’m quite pleased to get 68 for the abundance test.
Well, you go girl! Of course you’d do well. You are kind and upbeat. 🙂
Excellent topic. I think the world needs to read this. Sadly, not enough unconditional love and acceptance in this world! It starts at home.
Lose weight by giving your food away. I like it. 🙂
I have always longed for acceptance from my parents, I feel like they were always disappointed in me and it hurt a lot as a child. I think this feeling of wanting acceptance has followed me into adulthood now and I always feel as though people don’t like me. It weighs on my mind 🙁
Fi Ní, thank you for sharing your experience so honestly. Many of us grow up with that feeling of disappointment and then we struggle to find ourselves through others. A good way to start is to make peace with the past. Forgive your parents. Forgive yourself. Read uplifting books that are empowering. Remind yourself that every breath you take is a gift and so you are perfect and beautiful as created. An affirmation that has helped is: I am enough, I am enough, I am worthy.
Self Accepting is SO important. I’m trying to get this point across to my daughter. Society puts so much pressure on our kids, it’s our job to make sure they love themselves first!
We definitely need more acceptance in this world. And accepting things we don’t believe in or agree with is so difficult.
I LOVE this quote! “The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor wish that he might have done you a greater one.” Martin Luther King, Jr.
Beautiful poem and inspiration. It is always important to remember your loved ones and how much they love you. Happy Monday!
Thank you for sharing. It’s really important that we accept ourselves to be able to accept others.
Self acceptance is really the most important thing in life. It needs to be instilled from a young age.
I really love the passage from “Time Tested Beauty Tips.” If only more people heeded those words more often…we’d be a happier world.
Love motivation posts like this! They are always great to give yourself a boost when feeling down. Bookmarking!
This was good. Self acceptance is a very important thing. It took me a while to build my confidence and to simply love myself and now that I have a child. I am all for building up self-esteem, self-acceptance and acceptance of other.
Hear hear! Love is all you need. Great painting to go along with it – kinda reminds me of a Picasso.
It’s snowing here! haha
On your article, yes, awareness and acceptance will make our life easier.
What an amazing post. It is a good reminder of self acceptance and acceptance of others the way they are. We all need to be remixed.
I agree with you Chrysa, we all need to stop and take in our feelings about the subject.
i agree. we have to realise that our gifts are not for our sake alone, and there is joy in using it to help and encourage others. problem is, if we don’t accept ourselves, we may have nothing to give because we see nothing of ourselves to give..
I love Robert Frost and that poem alone is so powerful. Great post, btw I love your snow. 😉
Acceptance means sacrificing your true self for the love of others. It’s your way of uplifting yourself for the good of all.
This is a beautiful discussion. Thank you for sharing the images too. Very motivating today!
I love the idea of a Global Acceptance Day! The news is filled with so many negative things and that’s what we feed our brains with daily. I get mad at time and swear I’ll never watch the news again!! haha
Such motivational words, I already accept who I am; but I know I can always better myself!
Your Motivation Monday posts are the best. I absolutely love that first quote!
Thank you Carly. Appreciated.
Self acceptance… sometimes, people accept themselves based on what others think of them. Which make them stressed out by bothering about other people’s opinion, and in turn, become demoralised~
Crazy world we live in …. crazy things we need to balance. I guess, from what you just shared, self-acceptance will only be beneficial when you folow it up with assessment and necessary change. Either you’re happy with what you are or where you are, or you need to start acting on doing something better about yourself.
Hi Rommel! Glad to see you here. True. To accept ourselves requires some shift in thinking. Some are ready and others choose not to go there… true.
Not being accepted is very hard for me – its something I struggle with on a daily basis. Thank you for this post!
TY Kendall for your pithy comment. You are beautiful as you are.
I agree that it’s not expensive toys that fulfill a person. I find it so much easier to accept and even embrace others in my older age. In my youth I was too busy worrying about what everyone else thought. Phft. Silly.
Haha! Your Phft made me laugh but it’s true. Wisdom comes with age and hopefully so does compassion.
I have always believed you need to teach kids acceptance. The earlier you start the better.
Exactly… and it’s never too late to start.
Great post! Acceptance and empathy are important character traits. Something all people should embrace.
So much wisdom in so few words. Happiness can exist only with acceptance. We have to know now to count our blessings and know our limits and accept them. Only then can we be happy. If not, we will forever be dissatisfied with our lives. – Fred
Great tips. You’re right on track! I follow Brian Tracey a lot as well!
The poem by Robert Frost tells what acceptance is. Now let the night be dark for all of me.
Let the night bee too dark for me to see
Into the future. Let what will be, be.’
Indeed, every morning brings new changes in life. One must only have to give unconditionally to attain acceptance.
It makes a lot of difference when a person feels accepted, like he or she belongs. I can imagine how difficult it must be to be made to feel the opposite. Next to time, I think acceptance of others is the next best gift that we can give to anyone – most especially our friends and loved ones.
I love the passage from “Time Tested Beauty Tips”. I wish more of today’s youth could read and understand the meaning behind these words.
Kids need to learn that they must accept some things in life!
if we wont accept ourselves, who else will… right? thanks for inspiring us 🙂
The quote at the beginning of the post is so true. I really love that painting as well.
It definitely has to begin at home and at an early age in order to make it easier. Although it is better to start at any time in life than not at all.
We will see more deeper with our eyes closed. I truly believe in that! 😀
Self acceptance is so important and I love how you brought it out for everyone to remember it!
I’ve been working on acceptance for a long time, both acceptance of myself and others.
I hear you Jackie. It’s a process and we check in regularly to see where we are on issues that used to rile us up.
I couldn’t agree more! Such an inspiration.
I’m glad you brought up acceptance vs tolerance. In Singapore where I live, it is a multiracial society and we always emphasize on “racial harmony”. However, in reality, it is more of racial tolerance and we should strive towards acceptance instead.
self acceptance is ultimate important, before we expect others to accept and love us, we have to accept and love ourselves first.
A great way to stay on track – thanks for the inspiration!!
Accepting others and self-acceptance go right in hand with each other. As you said, the people who love us accept us, so why not accept ourselves? Also be the instrument to share the word around, because accepting others will help someone accept herself, eventually leading to happiness
Self-acceptance is not an overnight thing. It’s a long process but definitely worth it. When I was younger, I’ve always tried out skin whitening products because I’ve always been somehow bullied or teased by family & close friends that I was dark. I didn’t want to hear those teases anymore so I tried changing my skin color. When I grew up, I realized that I have to accept who I am for them to respect me. It was not an easy thing to ignore what they say about you but when I learned how to love and accept who I am, it was very rewarding. 🙂
“Self-acceptance warts and all” I love that phrase. The warts can represent so many things, including being badges of honor for having been though several battles in life. Those are to be proud of. Imperfections are what set us apart, what makes us unique. Maybe they are actually “perfections”…
Loved this post! 🙂
I am definitely more accepting of others then I am of myself and that is a shame. It is daily struggle to be happy with who I am, but I am not giving up!
I love the first quote; it is so true. Feeling accepted is so important to us as humans.
I’m always of the belief that we should change things we can and accept things we can’t Acceptance would really make you focus more on what you can do in a situation.
I remember my senior have make a video regarding to acceptance before. It isn’t easy to learn, this need time.
Self acceptance is very important. It makes us feel fulfilled. Thanks for this. This is truly inspiring.
What a beautiful post! I have a little trouble with accepting (especially since I’ll be turning 30 in a week), but it is something I am working on. It seems I am more accepting of others than myself. But shouldn’t it be the other way around?
We all struggle with it Angela… TY for your kind words.
I always found it difficult to achieve self-accepted but once I started appreciating myself as a person the whole world suddenly became more beautiful. Self-acceptance is the key to achieving inner peace.
Great post! I’m turning 25 and that is a huge milestone for me. Will have to refer back to this when the day comes!