Mental Health - Learning to Accept Others Despite Their Faults ...

It is often difficult to accept people for who they are. We may judge people for their flaws, but being able to accept others can help you lead a happier and more satisfying life.

Experts have written many books and offered countless words of advice to share how to be more accepting of other people. Below are some of my favorite tips to be more understanding and less judgmental of friends, family and acquaintances.

One must first have a strong sense of self in order to accept others, Stephanie Somanchi, a life coach, said in an email.

?Accepting others begins with accepting ourselves,? Somanchi said. ?Usually, the disapproval we feel is a reflection of an inner aspect we reject in ourselves. By focusing on self-approval we gain the strength to do what is best first for ourselves, which then dissolves the need to judge others.?

In another email interview, Liz Friedman, director MotherWoman, a nonprofit organization that empowers and helps mothers through support groups, said that when women are more open and accepting to others, they begin to have more self-confidence and accept themselves.

She has four strategies that will help you work on your acceptance skills:

1. ?Refrain from giving advice and trying to solve the ?problem.? We want to help. It's a natural instinct. But often that instinct to help is experienced as criticism. Remember the last time someone gave you advice??

2. ?Just listen. This is the most tremendous gift that we can give anyone. Our listening allows them to think more fully, connect with us more deeply and show us who they are and what their challenges are.?

3. ?Remind yourself that every person is doing the very best that they can do under the given circumstances. With support, compassion and encouragement they will be able to act on their best intelligence and seek the support and advice they need.?

4. ?Practice, practice, practice. Every moment is a new moment to practice acceptance and non-judgement. Don't criticize yourself for the internal critical voices in your head. We all have been trained in judging others from an early age. It will take time to unlearn this habit.?

Source: http://www.empowher.com/mental-health/content/learning-accept-others-despite-their-faults

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