182 Inspiring Quotes For Self-Acceptance

Last Updated on February 14, 2024

As human beings, we all have flaws and imperfections that make us unique. 

However, it can be difficult to accept ourselves as we are, especially in a world that often values perfection and conformity. 

This is where self-acceptance comes in – the ability to embrace ourselves with all our strengths and weaknesses, and love ourselves unconditionally. Self-acceptance is a journey, and one that can be challenging at times. 

But with the help of self-acceptance quotes, we can find inspiration and encouragement to stay on the path to self-love.

For me, self-acceptance has been a long and sometimes difficult journey. I have struggled with self-doubt, insecurity, and a constant feeling of not being “good enough.” 

But over time, I have learned to embrace myself as I am, flaws and all. Reading self-acceptance quotes has been a key part of my journey, offering words of wisdom and encouragement when I need them most.

Self-acceptance quotes can come from a variety of sources – from famous writers and philosophers to everyday people who have learned to love themselves despite their imperfections. 

These quotes can offer different perspectives on self-acceptance, from the importance of self-compassion to the power of embracing our uniqueness.

One of my favorite self-acceptance quotes comes from Brené Brown, a researcher and author who has written extensively on vulnerability and shame. 

She says, “Owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing we’ll ever do.” This quote reminds me that self-acceptance is not about being perfect, but about embracing our whole selves – our strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between.

Another self-acceptance quote that resonates with me is from Carl Rogers, a humanistic psychologist who emphasized the importance of empathy and authenticity in therapy. He said, “The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.” 

This quote reminds me that self-acceptance is not a stagnant state, but rather a dynamic process that can lead to personal growth and transformation.

In this article, we will explore a variety of self-acceptance quotes and what they can teach us about embracing ourselves as we are. 

Whether you are on your own journey to self-acceptance or simply looking for words of encouragement, I hope that these quotes will inspire you to love and accept yourself unconditionally.

Inspirational & Motivational Self-Acceptance Quotes

“Make peace with the fact that things end and look for beginning in every ending.” – 4themelanated

“Enjoy the space between where you are now and where you are heading.” – Unknown. “You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.” – Amy Bloom

“If I must fall, the one I become will catch me.” – The Baal Shem Tov

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” – Oscar Wilde

“Self-love has very little to do with how you feel about your outer self. It’s about accepting all of yourself.” – Tyra Banks

“It’s ok to not be a boss and just be a babe.” – Unknown

“The first thing that needs to change is the belief that you need to change.” – Unknown

“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder

“A man cannot be comfortable without his own approval.” – Mark Twain

“Self-acceptance is understanding that your value is separate from your actions and qualities.” – Marisa Peer

“When we criticize ourselves, we are both the attacked and the attacker.” – Dr. Kristin Neff

“If you are not enough for yourself, you will never be enough for someone else.” – Rupi Kaur

“Sometimes you don’t see the millions of people who accept you for what you are. All you notice is the person who doesn’t.” – Jodi Picoult

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“I release all doubts and insecurities.” – Anonymous

“It’s easy to love the nice things about ourselves, but true self-love is embracing the difficult parts that live in all of us.” – Rupi Kaur

“I’d date myself.” – Anonymous

“Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.” – George R.R. Martin

“I am not perfect. My hair my hair frizzes after shower. My thighs touch when I walk. I made mistakes and have regrets. But that’s me. And I love me for that.” – Anonymous

“I can look at my own badness in the face and accept its existence while you are busy covering your mirror with a white linen sheet.” – C. JoyBell C.

“I am all I have. And that’s all I need.” – Anonymous

“Sometimes the hardest part of the journey is believing you’re worthy of the trip.” – Glenn Beck

“Every moment that you use to criticize yourself is a second of your life wasted.” – C. JoyBell C.

“Perfection is found in accepting your imperfections.” – Bridgett Devoue

“I am a work in progress.” – Anonymous

“I hear a thousand kind words about me, and it makes no difference. Yet I hear one insult, and all confidence shatters.” – Rupi Kaur

“In Japan, broken pottery is repaired with gold. Flaws are beautiful. So are yours. ” – Unknown
“Imperfect? I’m perfect” – Anonymous

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.” – Dalai Lama

“I decided that most subversive, revolutionary thing I could do was to show up for my life and not be ashamed.” – Anne Lamott

“You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anyone.” – Maya Angelou

“I am who I am, not who I think I should be.” – Anonymous

“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” – Rupi Kaur

“The worst loneliness is to not be comfortable with yourself.” – Mark Twain

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” – Siddhārtha Gautama (Buddha)

“When I accept myself, I am freed from the burden of needing you to accept me.” – Steve Maraboli

“I was once afraid of people saying, ‘Who does she think she is?’ Now I have the courage to stand and say ‘This is who I am.’” – Oprah Winfrey

“You can’t hate yourself happy. You can’t criticize yourself thin. You can’t shame yourself worthy. Real change begins with self-love and self-care.” – Jessica Ortner

“I now see how owning our story and loving ourselves through that process is the bravest thing that we will ever do.” – Brené Brown

“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.” – Yogi Bhajan

“Remember, you have been criticizing yourself for years and it hasn’t worked. Try approving of yourself and see what happens.” – Louise Hay

“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others. Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval. Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts him or her.” – Lao Tzu

“Acceptance is the key to everything.” – Michael J Fox

“My willingness to be intimate with my own deep feelings creates the space for intimacy with another.” – Shakti Gawain

“You can succeed if nobody else believes it, but you will never succeed if you don’t believe in yourself.” – William J. H. Boetcker

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“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Nhat Hanh

“Forgive yourself. The supreme act of forgiveness is when you can forgive yourself for all the wounds you’ve created in your own life. Forgiveness is an act of self-love. When you forgive yourself, self-acceptance begins, and self-love grows.” – Miguel Angel Ruiz

“Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are.” – Marilyn Monroe

“It’s not your job to like me – it’s mine.” – Byron Katie

“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater than our level of self-acceptance.” – Brené Brown

“No amount of self-improvement can make up for any lack of self-acceptance.” – Robert Holden

“Accepting yourself is about respecting yourself. It’s about honoring yourself right now, here today, in this moment. Not just who you could become somewhere down the line.” – Kris Carr

“Continually feeding our need for positive self-evaluation is a bit like stuffing ourselves with candy. We get a brief sugar high, then a crash.” – Kristin Neff

“Radical Acceptance is the willingness to experience ourselves and our life as it is. A moment of Radical Acceptance is a moment of genuine freedom.” – Tara Brach

“Briefly, unconditional acceptance means liking yourself, others, and the world when you are not getting what you want and in spite of your getting what you don’t want.” – Albert Ellis

“[With unconditional self-acceptance]… you always – yes, always – accept and respect yourself, your personhood, your being, whether or not you perform well and whether or not other people approve of you and your behaviors.” – Albert Ellis

“I assure you there is a richer, thicker, cozier blanket [than self-acceptance] to carry through the world. There is a realm infinitely more mind-blowing. It’s called radical self-love.” – Sonya Renee Taylor
“… self-acceptance is truly a heroic act.” – Nathaniel Branden

“I bask in the glory of my most magnificent self.” – Debbie Ford

“Generally, self-acceptance is conceptualized as an affirmation or acceptance of self in spite of weaknesses or deficiencies.” – Michael Bernard

“The desire for others’ approval and reassurance creates sensitivity to real or imagined signs of rejection.” – Jennifer Crocker & Lora Park

“When I accept myself as a fallible human being capable of being liked and disliked, I will be concerned but not anxious if there is a possibility that new people may dislike me.” – Windy Dryden

“To accept ourselves is to accept the fact that what we think, feel, and do are all expressions of the self at the time they occur.” – Nathaniel Branden

“When you learn to accept fear, you cease making a catastrophe of it. Then it ceases to be your master.” – Nathaniel Branden

“We don’t have to wait until we are on our deathbed to realize what a waste of our precious lives it is to carry the belief that something is wrong with us.” – Tara Brach

“Rather, we think of boosts to self-esteem as analogous to sugar: tasty but not nutritious.” – Jennifer Crocker & Katherine Knight

“The most terrifying thing is to accept oneself completely.” – Carl Jung

“The more I bathe in the experience of loving and being loved, the more accessible it becomes in daily life.” – Tara Brach

“The short-term emotional benefits of pursuing self-esteem are often outweighed by long-term costs.” – Jennifer Crocker & Lora Park

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“We do whatever we can to avoid the raw pain of feeling unworthy… we hold back and play it safe rather than risking failure.” – Tara Brach

“The pursuit of self-esteem sacrifices autonomy.” – Jennifer Crocker & Lora Park

“Self-forgiveness is a process that enables us to release guilt, while self-acceptance is a process that enables us to process our shame.” – Colin Tipping

“Pursuing self-esteem can be motivating, but other sources of motivation, such as goals that are good for the self and others, can provide the same motivation without the costs.” – Jennifer Crocker & Lora Park

“Entangled in the trance of unworthiness, we grow accustomed to caging ourselves in with self-judgment and anxiety, with restlessness and dissatisfaction.” – Tara Brach

“Self-esteem is perhaps the greatest emotional sickness known to humans.” – Albert Ellis

“The medicine for shame is radical compassion, the loving presence that helps us trust our belonging and essential goodness.” – Tara Brach

“… if we want our children to love and accept who they are, our job is to love and accept who we are.” – Brené Brown

“If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete.” – Buddha

“Unconditional, non-egoistic self-acceptance is actually more in line with self-compassion than [self-esteem], suggesting that self-compassion may be a better candidate for predicting healthy relationship interactions.” – Kristin Neff & Natasha Beretvas

“May I accept myself as I am today. May I learn to love and accept myself unconditionally. I’m here, I’m home.” – Laurasia Mattingly

“Loving yourself isn’t vanity. It’s sanity.” – André Gide

“Let us therefore teach our children and our therapy clients to have unconditional self-acceptance – that is, to fully accept themselves as valuable and enjoyable humans whether or not they are self-efficacious and whether or not others approve of or love them.” – Albert Ellis

“Basing self-esteem on external contingencies of self-worth, such as appearance or others’ approval, requires continual validation from others.” – Jennifer Crocker & Katherine Knight

“Love for others without the foundation of love for ourselves becomes a loss of boundaries, codependency, and a painful and fruitless search for intimacy. But when we contact, through meditation, our true nature, we can allow others to also find theirs.” – Sharon Salzberg

“People with high self-esteem have a stronger tendency than those with low self-esteem to judge and treat their own groups more favorably than out-groups.” – Roy Baumeister et al

“When we give ourselves compassion, the tight knot of negative self-judgment starts to dissolve, replaced by a feeling of peaceful, connected acceptance – a sparkling diamond that emerges from the coal.” – Kristin Neff

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“You are beautiful because of your unrelenting insistence on being utterly, uncompromisingly, completely you.” – Jeanette LeBlanc

“… the curious paradox is that when I accept myself as I am, then I change.” – Carl Rogers

“Never make someone a priority when all you are to them is an option.” – Maya Angelou

“Don’t move the way fear makes you move. Move the way love makes you move. Move the way joy makes you move.” – Osho

“When you say ‘yes’ to others make sure you are not saying ‘no’ to yourself.” – Paulo Coelho

“Learn to love yourself enough to be happy in your own company, not needing to use anyone as an escape.” – Samantha Camargo

“The worst outcome in this world is not having self esteem. If you don’t love yourself, who will?” – Naval Ravikant

“Don’t allow yourself to think that toxic love is the best love you can ever have.” – Khalilah Velez

“Tell the world you are a one-of-a-kind creation who came here to experience wonder and spread joy. Expect to be accommodated.” – Victoria Moran

“Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others” – Wilfred Peterson

“You are what you believe yourself to be.” – Paulo Coelho

“Love is about becoming the right person. Don’t look for the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, become the person you want to spend the rest of your life with.” – Neil Strauss

“As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drewn me down and away from myself.” – Charlie Chaplin

“And I said to my body, ‘I want to be your friend.’ It took a long breath. And replied, ‘I have been waiting my whole life for this.” – Nayyirah Waheed

“Keep taking time for yourself until you’re you again.” – Lalah Delia

“Your soul will never be fully nourished by anyone’s love but your own.” – Dominee

“Choose, everyday, to forgive yourself. You are human, flawed, and most of all worthy of love.” – Alison Malee

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” – C.S. Lewis

“Until you get comfortable being alone, you’ll never know if you’re choosing someone out of love or loneliness.” – Mandy Hales

“The most powerful relationship you will ever have, is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli

“When I loved myself enough, I began leaving whatever wasn’t healthy.” – Kim McMillen

“Be silly. Be fun. Be different. Be crazy. Be you, because life is too short to be anything but happy.” – Unknown

“Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.” – Louise L. Hay

“You’re always one decision away from a totally different life.” – Unknown

“Life is too short to spend another day at war with yourself.” – Rita Ghatourey

“Replace the word ‘spend’ with ‘invest’ in your vocabulary and notice how it impacts your everyday decisions.” – Randy Thio

“Be vulnerable. Let yourself be deeply seen, love with your whole heart, practice gratitude and joy… be able to say ‘I am thankful to feel this vulnerable because it means I am alive,’ and believe ‘I am enough.’ You are worthy of love and belonging.” – Brene Brown

“The expert in anything was once a beginner.” – Helen Hayes

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Self-Acceptance Quotes To Boost Your Self Esteem

“Be the love you never received.” – Rune Lazuli

“This life is mine alone. So, I have stopped asking people for directions to places they’ve never been.” – Glennon Doyle

“Be faithful to that which exists within yourself.” – André Gide

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live up to what light I have.” – Abraham Lincoln

“Our first and last love is self-love.” – Christian Nestell Bovee

“The hardest challenge is to be yourself in a world where everyone is trying to make you be somebody else.” – E. E. Cummings

“You have to grow, you have to be, you have to love yourself unconditionally.” – Dominic Riccitello

“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.” – Benjamin Spock

“One of the best guides to how to be self-loving is to give ourselves the love we are often dreaming about receiving from others.” – Bell Hooks

“If you have the ability to love, love yourself first.” – Charles Bukowski

“If you ever want to love someone, love yourself unconditionally first.” – Debasish Mridha

“We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.” – Mary Dunbar

“The absence of self-love can never be replaced with the presence of people’s love for you.” – Edmond Mbiaka

“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” – M. Scott Peck

“To love yourself right now, just as you are, is to give yourself heaven. Don’t wait until you die. If you wait, you die now. If you love, you live now.” – Alan Cohen

“How you love yourself is how you teach others to love you.” – Rupi Kaur

“As I began to love myself, I found that anguish and emotional suffering were only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.” – Charlie Chaplin

“You’re always with yourself, so you might as well enjoy the company.” – Diane Von Furstenberg

“To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

“You can receive all the compliments in the world, but that won’t do a thing unless you believe it yourself.” – Criss Jami

“All people deserve your kindness, but none more so than you.” – Justin Kan

Option A: Spend your life trying to get others to accept you. Option B: Accept yourself and spend your life with others who recognize what a beauty you are. Scott Stabile

“Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.” – Louise L. Hay

“Believing in our hearts that who we are is enough is the key to a more satisfying and balanced life.” – Ellen Sue Stern

Self-approval and self-acceptance in the now are the main keys to positive changes in every area of our lives. Louise Hay

“There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self.” – Hindu Proverb

Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we’re supposed to be and embracing who we are. Brené Brown

“Loving yourself isn’t vanity; it’s sanity.” – Katrina Mayer

It is not worth the while to let our imperfections disturb us always. Henry David Thoreau

“I don’t like myself. I’m crazy about myself.” – May West

When you recover or discover something that nourishes your soul and brings joy, care enough about yourself to make room for it in your life. Jean Shinoda Bolen

“Why are you trying so hard to fit in when you were born to stand out?” – Ian Wallace

Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit. E.E. Cummings

Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes. Carl Gustav Jung

“Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“It is never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward.” – Roy Bennet

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“Don’t let hollow heroes distract you from saving yourself.” – Nikki Rowe

“Love yourself so much that when someone treats you wrong, you recognize it.” – Rena Rose

“Self-love is the source of all our other loves.” – Pierre Corneille

“You have to be able to love yourself because that’s when things fall into place.” – Vanessa Hudgens

“Just do what works for you, because there will always be somebody who thinks differently.” – Michelle Obama

“You can never meet your potential until you truly learn to love yourself.” – Teresa Collins

“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.” – Robert Morely

“Be very very very gentle with yourself. The world is very very hard on you.” – Srividya Srinivasan

“Whatever you are doing, love yourself for doing it. Whatever you are feeling, love yourself for feeling it.” – Thaddeus Golas

“To accept ourselves as we are means to value our imperfections as much as our perfections.” – Sandra Bierig

“Plant your own garden and decorate your own soul, instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.” – Veronica A. Shoffstall

“Even when it seems that there is no one else, always remember there’s one person who never ceased to love you – yourself.” – Sanhita Baruah

“When admiring other people’s gardens, don’t forget to tend to your own flowers.” – Sandbar Khan

“I love myself for I am a beloved child of the universe, and the universe lovingly takes care of me now.” – Louise Hay

“One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself.” – Shannon L. Alder

“As hard as it is, owning who you are and knowing what you want is the only sure path to affirmation… I want women to know they can get out of any situation if they return to their core source of strength: themselves.” – Ashley Graham

“You must love yourself before you love another. By accepting yourself and fully being what you are, your simple presence can make others happy.” – Unknown

“You were born an original work of art. Stay original always. Originals cost more than imitations.” – Suzy Kassem

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.” – Buddha

“You are very powerful, provided you know how powerful you are.” – Yogi Bahaman

“Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself.” – Coco Chanel

“I celebrate myself and sing myself.” – Walt Whitman

“If there’s one thing I’m willing to bet on, it’s myself.” – Beyoncé

“In order to love who you are, you cannot hate the experiences that shaped you.” – Andrea Dykstra

“Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Scarcity of self-value cannot be remedied by money, recognition, affection, attention or influence.” – Gary Zukav

“You find peace not by rearranging the circumstances of your life, but by realizing who you are at the deepest level.” – Eckhart Tolle

“Find out who you are and be that person. That’s what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth, and everything else will come.” – Ellen DeGeneres

​​“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Love yourself no matter who you are or where you come from.” – Diane Guerrero

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How Can Reading Self-Acceptance Quotes Be Beneficial?

Reading self-acceptance quotes can be incredibly beneficial for anyone who is struggling to embrace themselves as they are. 

Here are a few ways that reading self-acceptance quotes can help:

1. Offers perspective: Self-acceptance quotes can offer a different perspective on self-acceptance, reminding us that it is not about being perfect, but about embracing our whole selves – our strengths, weaknesses, and everything in between.
2. Encourages self-compassion: Many self-acceptance quotes emphasize the importance of self-compassion, reminding us that we are only human and that it is okay to make mistakes. These quotes can encourage us to be kinder and more forgiving towards ourselves.
3. Provides inspiration: Self-acceptance quotes can provide inspiration and motivation to keep working towards self-love and acceptance, even on difficult days. They can offer words of wisdom and encouragement when we need them most.
4. Helps to shift negative self-talk: Reading self-acceptance quotes can help to shift negative self-talk and replace it with more positive, self-affirming thoughts. These quotes can serve as a daily reminder to embrace ourselves as we are and to be proud of who we are becoming.
5. Cultivates a more positive mindset: Finally, reading self-acceptance quotes can cultivate a more positive and grateful mindset. When we learn to accept ourselves as we are, we become more grateful for the good things in our lives and more optimistic about our future.

Next Steps

Implementing self-acceptance quotes into your daily life can be a great way to foster self-love and build a more positive relationship with yourself. 

Here are a few ways to do so:

1. Set a daily reminder: Set a daily reminder on your phone or computer with a self-acceptance quote to start your day with a positive message.
2. Create a quote wall: Create a quote wall in your home or workspace and include a few self-acceptance quotes. This way, you can see these quotes daily and be reminded of their message.
3. Incorporate quotes into your journaling: Incorporate self-acceptance quotes into your journaling practice. Write them down and reflect on what they mean to you.
4. Use quotes as affirmations: Use self-acceptance quotes as affirmations throughout the day. Repeat them to yourself when you need a reminder to be kind to yourself.
5. Share quotes with others: Share self-acceptance quotes with others who may also benefit from them. This can be a great way to spread positivity and encouragement.
6. Meditate on quotes: Take a few minutes each day to meditate on a self-acceptance quote. Focus on its message and how it applies to your life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Are Self Acceptance Quotes?

Self-acceptance quotes are quotes that inspire and encourage individuals to accept and love themselves as they are. 

These quotes offer reminders that self-acceptance is an ongoing journey and not about perfection, but rather embracing all aspects of oneself.

Can Self-Acceptance Quotes Really Make A Difference?

Yes, self-acceptance quotes can make a significant difference in the way individuals view and treat themselves. 

Reading these quotes daily can shift one’s perspective from self-criticism to self-love, leading to improved self-esteem and a more positive mindset.

How Do Self-Acceptance Quotes Differ From Self-Help Books Or Therapy?

Self-acceptance quotes can be a helpful supplement to self-help books or therapy, but they do not replace these resources. 

While quotes offer daily inspiration and reminders to practice self-acceptance, self-help books and therapy provide more in-depth strategies and tools to work through underlying issues and negative thought patterns.

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