Quote by Nathaniel Branden

There is much to be said for the two-handed approach of working on accepting ourselves as we simultaneously work to grow and change.

Acceptance is incredibly important. We can’t skip this step and rush towards change.

Part of accepting ourselves as is, is accepting the wounded parts of ourselves as worthy of love right now.

Accepting that we have engaged in unhealthy, toxic or destructive behaviors and that we are still worthy of love is important. As is accepting that these were your best attempts at taking care of yourself at the time.

Accepting how we wound up the people we are, that maybe our family/up-bringing was neglectful, harmful, toxic or abusive in some way. Accepting our childhood for how it actually was, without minimizing or downplaying is an important part of validating yourself and your experiences.

In accepting who you are right now, you open the door to change.