Society pushes women to be perfect. And social media doesn’t help one bit. In an online world, where women are constantly shown edited images of perfect bodies and lifestyles, it’s difficult to accept yourself. But being happy with yourself, and being able to fully accept yourself can be life changing. Here are five reasons why.

When you accept yourself, you restore yourself to wholeness

The self-improvement and self-help industries can be a great tool for people who want to live better lives. However, it can also be overwhelming once you start learning all the things you need to “fix” in yourself. So, even if you do want to heal or improve certain areas of your life, always start by accepting your entire self – especially the areas you want to heal.

When you accept yourself, social media can’t be such a negative influence

Social media, especially Snapchat and Instagram, is responsible for creating feelings of inadequacy in its users. However, when you accept yourself for who you are, you no longer feel the need to be someone else, or live someone else’s life. 

When you accept yourself, it’s easier to take care of yourself

When we mess up in life, we can get really hard on ourselves. But when you believe you’re worthy, you can look at your “bad” qualities and mistakes with love and compassion, too.

When you accept yourself, your relationships can be more intimate

When you fully embrace your entire person, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing left to hide. This makes it easier to be more authentic and vulnerable with others. 

When you accept yourself, you allow yourself to create a life you want

By believing that you are good and worthy, you begin to see that your hopes, dreams and aspirations deserve your energy and attention, too. And when that happens, you can start to create the life you want to live, rather than the life you “should” be living.