How do people actually work on acceptance?

Hi,

I have a question about acceptance. I don't understand how people practice acceptance when it comes to very difficult things that you wish hadn't happened, or just not liking where you're at in life. Does it begin with a decision to accept everything that has happened?

Today I experienced 2 things which made me think about this. Atm, I am very poor. I hate being poor because it puts an extra burden on me, and pretty much just makes me feel embarrassed all the time.A couple of years back I had a lot of money which I blew on drugs and stuff like that because I was very mentally ill I guess. :-/ Today, I was trying to find some change to buy some food with, and i was struck by such a feeling of anger at my situation. Then when I was out and about, I saw a lot of people with their friends in bars, and I just felt a million miles away from them- like they get to have a life, and I don't. I'm distracting myself from my feelings less, and as a result, I feel like $#%^ all the time as I can't live in a fantasy world like i used to. I rarely have dangerously extreme feelings now , so it's more like a general feeling of sadness. My emotional dysregulation is more manageable now, so my next step is to work on acceptance and forgiveness for myself and others, as I will never have any peace of mind if i don't do this.

I feel like my mental illness has taken so much from me, and though I participate in far fewer unhealthy activities, I don't know how to practice acceptance of my current life and what has happened. How have you guys practiced acceptance in your own lives? What steps can I take to be more accepting of the way things currently are? I would love to hear from people who are having some success with this. Btw. at times when I'm not so good in myself, I may take a little while to respond, but I always read every response. Thankyou.