Health & Fitness
Accepting is NOT Settling
Susan shares her philosophy on what the word "accepting" means to her and how it's the first step to achieving in life.
By Susan Vernicek
When you look up the word accept, you get many definitions because it can be used in various ways, which we all know. I recently met a very intelligent, inspiring, and motivated individual, which I enjoyed meeting.
Even though we had a good amount in common about life and choice of career paths, there was one thing we did not agree on, and that was the word “accept." We were discussing accepting our life and who we are, but we both interpreted “accept” in a different way. Her take on “accept” meant to settle, whereas I see it differently.
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Growing up, I always thought the grass was always greener on the other side. I had trouble accepting who I was, where I came from, and myself as an individual. I always wanted to lose that stupid 10 pounds, look like Nancy, have hair like Margaret and have thinner thighs like the track star that year. All this wanting and wishing cost me really loving and embracing who I was. How often do you look back at pictures and say to yourself “What was I thinking? I was ok, my legs are fine, my hair is great, and I wasn’t big?"
After college and after working for a company that brought back my body image insecurity, I needed to take a stand and be strong. I needed to accept who I was, what I looked like, my intelligence, and everything that I had to offer. Not settling, but accepting so I could appreciate who I was and what I had to offer. Then that opened up a whole new world for achievements to be made.
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I strongly believe that if you do not accept who you are, you can’t fully appreciate yourself, and if you don’t appreciate who you are, how the heck can you achieve anything in life? That’s my philosophy because I lived it and now I feel free and real. It’s an incredible feeling to not always think the grass is greener on the other side. I’ve lost that stupid 10 pounds from not dwelling on it every day. Ha-ha. Go figure.
Right now, I’m suggesting to not settle, but accept YOU and appreciate YOU, because you have a lot to offer and many goals to achieve in life. You’ll enjoy the ride and embrace life much more when you take the initial step to accept.
Accept and Embrace YOU.
