学进去

Learn to Love Yourself

Do you ever compare yourself to other people and wish you could be more like them? We are all different in our own way. Self-acceptance (自我接纳) can help you feel happier and better about yourself.

What is self-acceptance?

Self-acceptance means learning to accept the things that make you who you are. As well as being thankful for what you’re good at, like sports, science or singing in the school choir, self-acceptance also means valuing (重视) the parts of you that don’t shine very brightly, like being forgetful or untidy. A 12-year-old girl, Lily, says self-acceptance means “knowing your own weaknesses and strengths (强项), and accepting who you are no matter what other people say or think.”

Why is self-acceptance good for you?

When you accept who you are, you worry less about things you can’t change. This makes you feel happier and more confident (自信的). The Anna Freud Centre, a charity (慈善机构) that helps young people, says everyone can feel that they have to be perfect, but that makes us forget about the little things that make us special, because we’re so busy trying to meet someone else’s standards. Learning to accept everything about yourself can also help you find what you’re really good at. For example, some people may find letters or numbers hard to read, but they might have strengths in other things, like finding good ways to work out problems.

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Start by making a list of all the things you like about yourself. Maybe you’re good at cooking, or people find it easy to talk to you. Also, try saying kind, happy things to yourself in a mirror (镜子) every morning. Think up ways to treat yourself, such as taking a long bath, watching your favorite film, or eating delicious ice-cream. But don’t forget it’s important to eat healthy food and get enough sleep.