Recovery and Well-being

Some Quotes on Acceptance

Ashley L. Peterson
Tara Brach quote: "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"

As my chronic mental illness has become increasingly treatment-resistant, I’ve done a lot of work on accepting the hand that life has dealt me. Acceptance isn’t about resignation or embracing unpleasant things; it’s about recognizing that what’s here right now is here, and trying to resist it will only increase suffering. Here are some acceptance quotes that I hope will inspire you.

“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

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

“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

“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

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

"Acceptance doesn't mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there's got to be a way through it" – Michael J. Fox

“Acceptance doesn’t mean resignation; it means understanding that something is what it is and that there’s got to be a way through it.” – Michael J. Fox

“My happiness grows in direct proportion to my acceptance, and in inverse proportion to my expectations.” – Michael J. Fox

“Acceptance of one’s life has nothing to do with resignation; it does not mean running away from the struggle. On the contrary, it means accepting it as it comes, with all the handicaps of heredity, of suffering, of psychological complexes and injustices.” – Paul Tournier

Some of these quotes came from PositivePsychology.com and BrainyQuote.

A Collection of Quotes and Thoughts on Mental Illness

Published by Ashley L. Peterson

I'm the author of three books: Psych Meds Made Simple, Making Sense of Psychiatric Diagnosis, and Managing the Depression Puzzle. These are informed by my professional experience as a former pharmacist and mental health nurse, as well as my lived experience of major depressive disorder. My goal with Mental Health @ Home is to challenge mental illness stigma and provide a safe space for open dialogue to empower others to share their voices.

37 thoughts on “Some Quotes on Acceptance”

  8. I love that you included Michael J. Fox here. My friend believes he has Parkinson’s, he’s just waiting for the MRI results to confirm. He started reading Michael’s biography. I hope it helps him with the diagnosis.

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  12. Thanks for these wonderful quotes. Self-acceptance is something I work on for a long time. Happy Friday despite everything 😊

    Reply

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