Questions & Answers

The Foundation has a large network of knowledgeable people, working among other things in the spiritual and social care and business. It also uses information made available from public sources. As expert, the founder and President of the foundation has much knowledge and experience.

No, the Foundation has no members. The Foundation makes use of volunteers to realize its objectives.

The registered location is Ede, in the province of Gelderland (country: Netherlands).

The Foundation obtains income from donations, business gifts and grants. The Foundation receives no structural public subsidy. Therefor it depends on private donations and business gifts. A gift to the Foundation Self-Acceptance, big or small, will contribute to achieve the objectives of the Foundation Self-Acceptance.

The Foundation Self-Acceptance is considered ‘Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling’ (ANBI) as per January 1, 2008 by the Dutch tax authority. This means that donations to the Foundation Self-Acceptance are income or corporation tax deductible.

Answering this requires some care and nuance. Of course everyone is free to use plastic surgery. The Foundation recognizes that certain situations desire plastic surgery and may have added value. For a correct assessment of a situation it is important to know which motivation and motives lead to decision making. Strive for the “ideal image” to meet social expectations and or standards is not a correct approach nor starting point. Shortcomings will always be there and continue. It can always be “better”, “different” or “prettier”. The solely use of plastic surgery will never increase the acceptance process of the shortcomings. Accepting the “less” good qualities and/or characteristics forms the basis to learn to deal with them. The self-confidence will increase. A solid foundation is laid to function properly. With reference to the letter of the Ministry of health: cosmetic procedures (both surgically and non-surgically such as injections of fillers) can cause considerable damage. By poor and unsafe products, inept treating physicians and the risks that can occur with a surgery.

No, the Foundation does not give training nor therapies. The Foundation acts as a front-office, a digital guide which provide information on Self-Acceptance and the various possibilities to realize full Self-Acceptance. The website has links to additional foundations, associations and/or companies which make a positive contribution to the promotion of Self-Acceptance.

No, without Self-Acceptance a human being shall not realize full self-development. With reference to the question above and the role that Self-Acceptance has in the effective functioning of the individual in the sense of self-realization and also approaches based on the needs pyramid (5 levels) of A. Maslow, each person runs through a certain pattern of needs in his life. According to A. Maslow, American clinical psychologist, self-development is the fifth and final level. According to this theory, a human being strives to satisfy needs that are placed higher in the hierarchy after the lower placed needs are fulfilled. When a staircase is missing or drops, a human being will comply this need before he or she can increase further. It is important to work on strengthening the basic trust because a lot of people are stuck at the level of the security needs, making them uncertain and many suffer from fears. Having Self-Acceptance is of fundamental importance. Self-Acceptance is a basis for a human being to function and to feel good.

Bullying and discrimination in our society, as we know, is serious business. It can cause “unrecoverable” personal damage. The consequence; major psychological problems and violent feelings of inferiority at many people which eventually can lead to committing suicide more frequently. Bullying and discrimination are focused on shortcomings of “less good” characteristics and qualities. It finds its origin in the urge of profiling yourself at the expense of others. A human being who’s satisfied with themselves and is feeling very well has no need to bully others nor to discriminate others for self-profiling. The impact of bullying and discrimination is less big if you accept your less good characteristics and/or qualities. Who has Self-Acceptance, is satisfied with itself. The person is more empowered against what other people think or say about him/her. Feelings of inferiority are limited and have little grasp to the person.

An individualistic society which have to be fulfilled with an ideal image that focuses on physical characteristics. Then you will not fail but meet the required expectations. It is important what others think and find about you. We want to fit in and not be rejected. Anxiety, fear of failure. To fall short or not to meet certain expectations set by yourself or others. Examples are: fear of failure in sports performance, cognitive performance (homework, test, driving test, or a final exam) or social activities (speech, giving a lecture). Their appearance, social behaviour or sexual performance can lead to anxiety at adults as well. Negative experiences or failures can increase the risk of anxiety. Anxiety has a crippling effect on your performance. Anxiety leads to perfectionist behaviour. Everything is being done to prevent failure. The bar should be set as high as possible. Who scores a 9 or a 10 knows that other people’s reactions will be positive. The compliment is the desired response. We receive no criticism. People who suffer from perfectionism often set unattainable high standards for themselves and others. In many cases caused by uncertainty. A perfectionist may also be ashamed when he cannot meet his own expectations and tries to hide it. It can lead to social isolation, under performance or even a depression. Whoever finds himself not so successful, is doubting their own qualities. The self-confidence is inadequate, and he or she will try to compensate this with perfectionist behaviour. The human being who has Self-Acceptance, finds it less important what others people find or think of him. Own characteristics and qualities are accepted, errors are human and may be made. The human being is less sensitive for criticism. The bar of performance can be laid at a level where a healthy balance is present.

We give everything a name linked to a definition. We paste a label/sticker, we categorize it and we give it a value judgement. In short: something is good, sufficient or bad. However, as a human being we are all equivalent to each other. The characteristics and properties differ. At Self-Acceptance the human remains intact and it is important that the individual characteristics and qualities are accepted. Self-esteem implies that we can ‘ upgrade ‘ or ‘ downgrade ‘ ourselves. We constantly have to keep track on whether we are still worthwhile. It is disastrous for our well-being and functioning when we ‘downgrade’ ourselves to worthless. We feel inferior. The person who has ‘ upgraded ‘ itself and has built up ‘ self-esteem ‘ is in an unstable position. The danger of write-down is a continuous threat. A valid question is: are assigned value judgements correct, who or what has determined them? We do not became more or less human being, right? The person who realizes self-acceptance, accepts his/her characteristics and qualities and has no inferiority feelings. Self-esteem is not an issue.

Definition of the word acceptance: adopt, accept, acts and circumstances as inevitable. Definition of the word appreciation: to appreciate it, determining value. With Self-Acceptance the person remains intact and is it important to accept their personal and individual characteristics and qualities. It is, after all, the characteristics and qualities that differ from each other. Self-appreciation implies that we can ‘ upgrade ‘ or ‘ downgrade ‘ ourselves. We constantly have to keep track on whether we are still worthwhile. It is disastrous for our well-being and functioning when we ‘downgrade’ ourselves to worthless. We feel inferior. The person who has ‘ upgraded ‘ itself and has built up ‘ self-esteem ‘ is in an unstable position. The danger of write-down is a continuous threat. A valid question is: are assigned value judgements correct, who or what has determined them? We do not became more or less human being, right?

Self-acceptance forms the foundation for human functioning. An individual functions—or doesn’t function—just like a car that moves or stands still. When someone accepts themselves as they are, including their strengths and weaknesses, inner peace, stability, and a healthy sense of self-worth arise. Lacking this self-acceptance leads to insecurity, fear of failure, perfectionism, or withdrawal. This disrupts personal functioning and the ability to collaborate with others.

Individual Functioning Self-acceptance means accepting themselves as human beings, independent of labels, value judgments, and expectations from others. Those who accept themselves:

stand more confidently in social situations;

are less dependent on external validation;

make realistic choices;

experience mistakes as human;

have stable inner motivation.

This aligns with the WHO model for mental health and the self-realization component in Carol Ryff’s work: self-acceptance is a necessary condition for self-development. Without this foundation, no one reaches the higher levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

ollaboration with others Collaboration arises when two functioning individuals can connect. Self-acceptance determines whether that connection is possible. Two people with self-acceptance enter into an equal partnership. Both function. When one of them lacks self-acceptance, uncertainty and avoidance arise. Collaboration doesn’t develop well. One functions, the other doesn’t. Even when there’s no natural connection, two people with self-acceptance can function well independently. Self-acceptance, therefore, doesn’t determine whether people are a good fit, but whether they are even capable of working together from a place of peace, security, and equality. The role of society In an increasingly individualistic society, where labels, value judgments, and performance pressure are central, the lack of functioning is often blamed on the individual. Someone who doesn’t keep up is said to be “not strong enough,” “not flexible enough,” or “not good enough.”

But this picture is incomplete. Many problems arise precisely from societal structures:

high work and time pressure, constant stimuli,

social comparison,

marketing-driven ideals,

systems that judge rather than support.

These structures hardly change; they remain untouched. Instead, responsibility shifts to the individual. People receive therapy, diagnoses, or medication, while the underlying causes—the way society functions—remain. Self-acceptance breaks through this mechanism: people are no longer reduced to “good,” “bad,” “in,” or “out,” but remain intact as individuals.

Conclusion

Self-acceptance is the fundamental prerequisite for functioning. An individual who accepts themselves functions independently and can function with others. When self-acceptance is lacking—or when societal structures are overly demanding—functioning comes to a standstill, both personally and collaboratively.

 

Yes. Overweight brand, makes that people have less self-confidence they are more often bullied. The questions aside whether someone is over weighted or not, and how overweight arise and is obesity unhealthy and must be countered. How do you approach overweight in a world in which a significant part or even a majority of people is too thick. As something bad, that should be avoided or if okay situation that people are all different. A matter of conflicting values. On the one hand we must accept ourselves, on the other hand we see ourselves preferably not too thick. We must look according to a certain ideal image. Both messages pass conflicts. Promotion of self-acceptance is most important. It makes no sense to compare yourself with someone with a very different body construction. They are all different. Discontent and not accepting the personal properties and/or characteristics creates a situation of out of balance. Resulting in the development of eating disorders. People who have Self-Acceptance function and feel good. The fight against overweight will be better and easier to be overcome.

The Foundation asks businesses to take responsibility to further develop positive contributions. Companies have different ways to deal with people’s health. The impact of companies and organizations on the health of people is increasing and calls for more active policy of companies. Companies need health more central. They are after all the working people who makes a different in your company business. The Self-Acceptance foundation ask companies to have more attention for the phenomenon of Self-Acceptance. It’s is important that the topic gets more attention. This can be done to provide support employees and encourage in their process to come to full Self-Acceptance. Create a more enjoyable work environment where people dare to be themselves and where equality, integrity, trust and transparency are central. Coaching leadership is an important step in supporting people in their process to Self-Acceptance. Conversations in the environment of dialogue work constructive. Result: less absenteeism and higher labour productivity.

The Foundation Self-Acceptance is a non-profit foundation. Board members do not receive any financial reward for their work.

The Foundation has no employees. The Foundation only uses volunteers to realize its objectives.

Information about Self-Acceptance for speeches or papers can be found on this website, in particular the brochure, information film and the strip are very useful.