Lots of good advice. Self acceptance certainly is the essential prerequisite for acceptance by others, as is the maturity to realize that not everyone can or will accept. The first point you made about control struck a particular chord with me. I. Psychotherapy, controlling behavior is behavior directed at trying to control the uncontrollable. A familiar example to many of us might be acting in a hyper macho manner in an attempt to make ones feminine go away. Some people, like myself for many years, carried a not so deeply submerged anger and could tilt into a pointless tantrum in moments of frustration. It's fascinating, and humbling, to look back at ones former self to see unproductive, often destructive behaviors manifest I that futile effort to control the uncontrollable.
