Acceptance Quote by Laura Schlessinger
““There is, I believe, no such thing as unconditional self-acceptance. Those who say so are promulgating a pernicious lie. One must first live a decent, honorable and productive life. Only then do you get to feel good about yourself. Seeking to heedlessly gratify your desires or impulses of the moment to do things (or fail to do things) your conscience knows to be contrary to your standards of right, worthy and virtuous behavior is, in a mental, emotional and spiritual sense, akin to spending capital that you have not earned, and therefore will eventually cause you to feel very negatively … about who and what you are. You cannot in the long run have your cake and eat it too. The longer … you behave in certain ways, the more it comes to define you, not only to others, but also to yourself.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public commentary on self‑acceptance, 2015
True self‑acceptance requires living honorably; without it, self‑esteem is built on unearned moral credit, leading to inner conflict.
In simple terms: Self‑acceptance follows a good, honest life.
Key Takeaway
Earn self‑respect through virtuous actions.
Themes
self‑acceptance
morality
integrity
Mood
thoughtful
serious
Type
philosophical
motivational
When to use this quote
- counseling
- personal development
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
ethical living
self‑esteem
personal growth
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you align actions with values?
- What habits build genuine self‑respect?
A Different Perspective
Self‑acceptance without merit can become self‑deception.
