Many people have low self-acceptance. That’s most likely a result of a lack of empathy from their parents during their childhood. Consequently, in their adult lives, these people may need much stronger affirmation from others than most people do. Some people with low self-acceptance try to bolster it by accomplishing great things. But this only helps your self-esteem for a while. Achievement is a poor substitute for intimacy. But there are ways to sustainably increase your self-acceptance. And greater self-acceptance improves your emotional well-being.