Greetings!
My name is Da’Nitra Wade-Roberts and I’m a new Certified Peer Support Counselor (CPC) at TACID. I’m new to being a CPC but, as I’ve learned about it, I’ve realized I’m pretty familiar with the idea of peer support.
In my previous job, I worked as a caregiver, providing aid to people who needed help with daily tasks. My favorite part of the job was the conversations I had with my clients. I would chat with them and notice how they became more excited to talk and more comfortable with me each time they felt seen, heard, and not judged. To my surprise, I’d been giving peer support before knowing what peer support was!
Today, I’d like to share with you about self-acceptance, a topic we talk about in peer support groups and something I’m working on myself.
Self-Acceptance is the act of recognizing and embracing our own attributes: our abilities AND our limitations. It seems like we’re on an endless journey of self-discovery and improvement. It can be a beautiful journey, but sometimes, it’s good to stop and remember that we’re all unique and not something that needs to be changed or fixed.
It can be really hard to accept things about ourselves that we do not like. Personally, I battle with anxiety daily and that keeps me from making friends and trying new experiences. Accepting that anxiety is a part of my life has helped me. Each day, I try to do my best—and that’s all I need to do. Doing my best doesn’t look the same each day and that is okay.
Here are some ways that might help you to work on self-acceptance:
- Affirmations: It’s proven that repeating affirmations daily can promote a positive mental state. Some examples include, “I am doing my best.” “I am at peace with myself.” “I love and accept myself.” “I am worthy of enjoying life.” “I am strong enough; I am good enough.”
- “What If’firmations: It might be uncomfortable to repeat affirmations if we have a hard time believing them! Adding “What if” to an affirmation might help. What if’irmations can open our mind to possibility and build comfort with an idea. Some examples would be, “What if I am strong enough; what if I am good enough?” “What if I am worthy of love?”
- Meditation: In meditation, we focus on quieting our mind and being present. This can be a resource to combat negative thoughts and self-talk. If it’s hard for you to meditate on your own, check-out Sound Bath Meditation with Megan Zaback at TACID on Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:45AM-12:30PM. For more information, check out our Calendar
- Gratitude Journal: Gratitude journaling is a great way to reduce feelings of being less-than or lacking. It may even reveal strengths we don’t know about.
- Support: Having support provides encouragement and new perspectives from other people who may have similar experiences. There are many resources—audiobooks, podcasts, and YouTube videos—that are free online. Don’t forget, TACID peer support groups and one-to-one peer support is available Monday through Friday at our center and on Zoom.
They say self-acceptance is the foundation of self-esteem. When we build one, we build the other. For more information about self-acceptance, check out this artcle from The Berkeley Well-Being Institute: Self-Acceptance: Definition, Quotes, & How to Practice
For more information about self-care, check out our other posts and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and twitter.