Self-acceptance can have an impact on your mental health, especially your self-esteem. We are constantly on a never-ending quest for improvements that sound optimistic but, in reality can cause personal emotional harm. Improving yourself and growing is a good sentiment, but it needs to start in a positive space of self-acceptance.
It is essential to your mental health to first accept and make space for your flaws, weaknesses, and vulnerabilities. All these areas are simply part of being human and none of them are the enemy or anything to run away from. In fact, these parts of ourselves that we carry connects us with our common humanity. When we take time to understand who we are, we can stop comparing ourselves to the past, other people, or a vision of this “perfect version of ourselves”.
You are a unique and complex individual that should not want to be a fake version of someone else. The process of getting to know yourself can take time and should not be rushed. Remember you are worth the journey! Once you have accepted yourself and all that you are right now, you will see an improvement in your self-esteem from self-acceptance.
Only then if you are choosing to grow or make changes in your life, you can start with the acceptance and knowledge of who you are.