3 Steps for Accepting People for Who They Are

Think about that person in your life who drives you absolutely crazy. Whether co-worker, acquaintance, or family member, there’s nothing worse than having to deal with someone who gets under your skin. The problem is, you can’t change the people around you.

You can, on the other hand, change you.

By learning to accept people for who they are, you’ll find your interactions with these individuals will become easier. You’ll be more easygoing, and less likely to get bent out of shape. In short, you’ll become happier and experience far less stress.

Sound too easy? It really is. Just start with these three steps for accepting people who they are:

Recognize Everyone is Unique
When we feel secure in how we’re living our lives, it’s natural to think others should do as we do. For example, if you went to college, got a degree, and then got a job, you might expect your children to follow the same path. The truth is, not everyone’s path is going to look like yours. Your child may not be suited to college or has other ambitions after high school. Does this make them wrong? When we recognize everyone is unique and has their own path to follow, it becomes easier to accept them for who they are.

It’s Okay to Disagree
Sometimes we see someone we love making choices we’re not comfortable with. Going back to the college example, maybe we’re worried that if our child takes a year off to travel to “find themselves” that they’ll never go back to school. When the person you disagree with is an adult, and they’re not doing something to physically harm themselves or someone else, it becomes time to back off. Rather than feeling threatened or disappointed in their choices, ask yourself what you might be able to learn from them. Their unique point of view is something to celebrate. After all, if we all made the same decisions all the time, things would be pretty dull.

What About You?
In the end, if you’re caught up in how other people are living their lives, you’re focusing your attention in the wrong place. The only person you can actually change is you. Stop worrying about what everyone else is doing and start paying attention to different choices you could make that would create more joy in life. With this in mind, you’ll find it easier to accept the people around you. Who knows, maybe you’ll feel a little happier with who you are as well.

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