One thing all of us want is acceptance.

• When a person feels excluded, it makes for tenuous friendships or unsettled co-workers.
• Being more accepting helps people get in touch with their feelings and reduces anxiety, depression and stress.
• Even the most confident among us feel less secure when they sense that they are or being made to feel like outliers.

On the first day of a new semester, I emphasize to my students that we will operate in an atmosphere of approval and acceptance – that we may not always agree, but we are safe to be, act and think the way we want.