You can dive into self-improvement books, sweat it out at the gym, attend hundreds of workshops, but unless you truly accept and believe in yourself, success and happiness might stay unattainable.

What does ACCEPTING yourself mean?⠀
Accepting yourself means embracing your entire self, your strengths, and your weaknesses. It's time to stop comparing yourself to others. We're all different, each with our own unique qualities. Embracing this lets you freely embrace LIFE, living on your own terms! Learn to say "no" to things that don't sit right with you or things you don't want to do, all without the guilt trip. Don't feel like going to that long-planned meetup with friends? Politely decline without beating yourself up. It's your life, after all!⠀

What does UNDERSTANDING yourself mean?⠀
Understanding yourself means truly understanding your dreams, passions, and values. Figure out what really matters to you and what you want to achieve. Your path should be based on your personal beliefs and aspirations, not on others' expectations and judgments. (We'll discuss ways to understand yourself and determine your priorities – not society's imposed ones – in the next post.)

And, of course, it's important to BELIEVE in yourself.

This means believing that whatever you set your mind to is possible! Of course, different goals demand different efforts. To avoid disappointment at the very start of your path to a goal, break it down into numerous small, easily achievable steps. And most importantly, never give up! Failures are part of the journey to success, not a sign that you're undeserving. Only those who do nothing make no mistakes or losses.

On my journey towards a happy life, I often made mistakes, measured myself with someone else's ruler, tried to be the "perfect" woman, friend, wife, and so on, until I accepted myself, my values, and believed that I could truly be myself and still be successful!