Know Thyself; Finding Self
Acceptance[1]
The
ancient Greeks encouraged us to know ourselves; that is to work toward
accurately looking at our own action, motivations and feelings. Many of those focused on this idea also
emphasized the need for positive self-regard, which is seen as a central
feature of mental health as well as characteristic of self-actualization,
optimal functioning, and maturity.
Life span theories also emphasized the importance of self-acceptance of
self, including our past lives. Both
Erik Erickson’s formulation of ego integrity and the Jungian individuation
emphasize the kind of self-acceptance that is notably richer that the standard
views of self-esteem. It is a kind
of self-evaluation that is long-term and involves awareness, and acceptance of,
both personal strengths and weaknesses.
Having
a purpose in life means having to effectively cope with life travails and
suffering. Gordon Allport, one of
psychology’s most important theorists, held that having a clear comprehension
of life’s purpose is central to life satisfaction.
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