After failures, people’s tendency is to engage in self-destructive behaviours. Things like drinking and reckless spending can make us feel better in the short-term.
Instead, researchers have found, self-acceptance can help us better deal with the inevitable. The study’s authors write: “When a person’s beliefs and expectations are undermined, it can detrimentally harm their self-worth. Unlike self-esteem, self-acceptance that is inherently unconditional may better prepare someone for inevitable failures — ultimately serving as a less volatile alternative for promoting well-being.”
The study’s authors write: “Consider the person who has just realized that they are poorly prepared financially for retirement. They might either go out and buy something expensive or start binge eating or drinking as a way to avoid dealing with their problems. We introduce the idea that practicing self-acceptance is a more effective alternative to this type of self-destructive behavior.”
At the same time, self-acceptance helped people to work harder to improve themselves.
Self-acceptance seems to work by reducing the damaging effects of failures on their self-worth.
The study was published in the Journal of Consumer Research (Kim & Gal, 2014).
To read the full article, click the link below.
Category(s):Self-Care / Self Compassion, Self-Esteem
Source material from Psyblog
