The Acceptance Journey

People are just people. For better or for worst.

I have spent majority of my life selectively remembering this. Being an advocate for inclusion. Wanting everyone to realize this reality and yet, not fully accepting it for myself.

For me, fully accepting humanity means fully accepting myself. It means accepting my wide nose, curvy hips, kincky curls. It means accepting compliments and it means not emotionally beating myself to a pulp when I come up short. Knowing that I am human and giving myself the grace to be myself.

Today I met a man at a train station in Boston. He asked me if I was afraid. Initially, I thought it was a strange question to ask. I wanted to appear focused and aware being a new tourist and all. perhaps the furthest as possible from fear being a first time tourist in a bustling city. He said that he saw himself looking at me. Once again, I was confused as I physically looked like him. Reflecting on it now, I wonder if he meant he connected with the human that he saw. He saw someone who had feelings and thoughts as himself and who may also experience fear, even when she isn't always aware of it. He saw the vulnerability of someone what was trained to cover it up. Allowing some to see you as human when you often see yourself as super-human can be a beautiful, freeing experience. Just like seeing yourself, accepting yourself can be a beautiful, healing experience.

Acceptance of self also helps us accept others. With clients (and myself), I have noticed that a lot of our hurts come from our expectations. Sometimes it can seems as though it would hurt even more if we accepted the truth. The truth can hurt, however, acceptance of truth creates an opportunity to let go. It can be difficult when see see "potential" in someone, beit parents, partners, friends, or colleagues. However, sometimes people behave in ways that we may not every understand. When have this moment , nothing more, nothing less. Accepting that we cannot have the past, frees us to manage the moment and choose to live it authentically.

At the end of our encounter, I gave my new friend some money, but he gave me immensely more. He gave me the gift of acceptance, flaws and all. If we could give that gift to ourselves on a daily basis, and to those that we encounter-how might our lives change?

The possibilities are endless.