[Icare dixit]

Have you accepted this might be it: things are not going to get much better (whatever that is)?

Paradoxically, I'm improving when I've once again accepted that.

[LadyShadow]

Yes I have. I am not perfect. I have learned GREAT acceptance over the years and it's been the absolutely hardest for me. I love me. I love everything I have become. Yes I am fat and still sometimes feel disgusting but I have people in my life that love me for who I am and I look inward out and no longer outward in.

I am so confident this is me without makeup, smiling and happy at me being me!

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[JustJace2u]

I am slowly coming to terms with who I am. It's sad that it's taken 42 years for me to accept this. My recent hospitalization after many weeks of SIs opened my eyes alot I suppose.

[hopeless2015]

LadyShadow....beautiful!!
I'm working on accepting things, it's a work in progress

[Victoria'smom]

I accept things to easily.

[leejosepho]

I was 58 before finally beginning to learn some of the deepest realities about myself, and accepting the actual facts about myself (rather than continuing to flounder within whatever else, including trying to "become" one thing or another) has been foundational for coming up with workable day-to-day attitudes and actions within a world I had never understood. I still do not know for certain exactly who or what is beneath the skin I see in the mirror, but then neither do I any longer believe eventually leaving a statue behind for others to visit and view would make any difference today.

[Icare dixit]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I accept things to easily.

There's that risk, I guess. I definitely to some extent believe that. But as long as you survive, does it really matter what you do or what you are?

You can accept while working to improve. It's as difficult for us as it is for anyone else. You're as imperfect as you believe yourself to be.

[Unrigged64072835]

Good for you!

I still have a hard time accepting who I am. I end up focusing on the negatives and I try working my way out of it.

[Wander]

I feel I have accepted myself as I am and BP is a part of that. Life is so much easier once you do.

[Theseus]

It's taken me 59 years to accept myself, and I'm sure I'm not done.

• I accept that I am a fat gay bear (actually I like that it's not a put down).
• I accept that I don't speak well; I write better than I speak.
• I accept that I do not fit in, in most places, or really belong anywhere. Though ironically people tend to gravitate to me.
• I accept that I will never be a bodybuilder (I like weight lifting), or wear less than 42 waist pants.
• I accept that I have physical limitations on what I can do.

Yeah, I accept that.

[zijax]

Nope I'm striving to be a better person. I've got goals I want and will accomplish. I'm not giving up. I'm excited just thinking about them. I'm getting back into doing art and this time I'm going to find a gallery to show my art. I believe in myself. I just turned my laundry room into an art studio. My pdoc has cut my seroquel in half so I can get my creativity back-I was on so much I couldn't paint. I'm more about changing than accepting.

[Shazerac]

I've been trying to figure myself out for 61 years. I'm not there. Next on the list is accepting myself.

[CarriB]

I fight everything, including who I am. One of these days I'll get tired and just accept it. I think that comes with age, even though I'm almost 40.

I've had to lie to others to do business for 25 years while compromised by mental illness and medication in a society that seriously stigmatizes mental illness and medication. Only recently I've realized that I've been lying to myself. I'll report back once I sort this out.

[raspberrytorte]

No. Next year around this time I'm going to be in a much better place.

[BipolaRNurse]

Originally Posted by Shazerac

I've been trying to figure myself out for 61 years. I'm not there. Next on the list is accepting myself.

Thank you for this. I'm 58 and still don't have my $#!+ together. Maybe I never will. I need to accept that instead of beating myself up with my inadequacies.

[VerMOZZica]

I`ll say I`ve sort of accepted it.I do want things to get better for me and I want to be able to take care of myself.

[~Christina]

A doctor IP once told me " you need to just realize you will never find stability.... Yeah ?!?! Wtf !

I will never " settle" I can always do better be better and enjoy my life with all kinds of shytt stacked against me.

I never went back to that IP, he was just a jaded man with a god complex in 800.00 suits.

[MtnTime2896]

Nope. I have this weird thing where I think I can just 'fix' myself and that I shouldn't accept anything. Don't know why but it might as well just be denial. I'm trying to work on that.

[duckrabbit]

Originally Posted by Só leigheas

Nope. I have this weird thing where I think I can just 'fix' myself and that I shouldn't accept anything. Don't know why but it might as well just be denial. I'm trying to work on that.

I feel the same way quite often. I want to try things on my own (even "fail" if I have to) and prove that I'm capable. Probably a pride thing.

[Moose72]

Compared to last year at this time I am a step ahead: I have my own place. After over 10 years with my mom (triggering) that's huge!

I am a photographer . I love it. I take great pix but I haven't been out in many months. Why???

[LifeInProgress]

At 51 I still struggle with self acceptance. The last year has thrown a lot of other stuff at me that has required a lot of work to come to acceptance or at least accomodation with.

Accepting that I am bipolar is the easy part. Coming to terms with the consequences of being bipolar? That is the hard part.

[Wander]

Originally Posted by LifeInProgress

At 51 I still struggle with self acceptance. The last year has thrown a lot of other stuff at me that has required a lot of work to come to acceptance or at least accomodation with.

Accepting that I am bipolar is the easy part. Coming to terms with the consequences of being bipolar? That is the hard part.

You are so right, it is the consequences that are difficult to come to terms with, especially when you have inadvertently hurt other people.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by Wander

You are so right, it is the consequences that are difficult to come to terms with, especially when you have inadvertently hurt other people.

Agreed, and my unknown co-morbids that were growing alongside made all of that even worse.