Have you ever looked at an old photo and thought, “I looked pretty good in this picture, why did I think I looked fat?" That’s exactly what happened to me this past weekend. I was looking at a picture of myself from four years ago, when my husband and I were celebrating our anniversary. I remember getting dressed for that dinner and thinking that I didn’t look so great. I wasn’t happy with my hair or my makeup. But, you know what? I did look pretty great! My dress looked nice even though I remember feeling “fat” at the time and that picture makes me smile when I look at it today.
What if on that day I could have looked at myself with that same kindness and acceptance that I feel today when I look at that picture? What a wasted opportunity to feel good about myself and to take in that moment more fully! Bet you’ve done this to yourself too.
What if you added up all those moments you berated yourself because you didn’t feel like you looked pretty enough, thin enough, whatever enough.. and just loved yourself and said 'I am beautiful right now'?
"But I don’t feel beautiful," you say.
Fair enough. What if you were just not so mean and instead noticed two good things about yourself in that moment? Something like, 'My lips look pretty with this shade of lipstick' or 'That dress is so cute on me'. You know what else would be good? What if you thought about the person or people you were going to be with and how much you are going to enjoy the time you spend together?
Try to be in your life instead of in your head.
When those negative thoughts come, just stop and think of two good things to say to yourself and do that again and again. This will soon spread into other areas of your life and you may start to realize that you’re not half bad at singing or that you're pretty damn good at walking lunges .
Here’s what else will happen, you will be more empathetic to others. When I notice myself being more critical of other people, I know that I am being harsh and mean to myself. How can I look past your rumpled shirt and see your kind brown eyes if I am constantly picking myself apart?
So, really, being kind to yourself is so unselfish that it's not even funny!
It’s such a waste of time to have to wait to realize how you good you actually had something. I really wish I could have seen what was good about myself in the mirror that day while I was getting ready for my anniversary dinner. Who knows how much more I would have enjoyed that night, since I would have been more present to my husband and our lovely dinner?
Don't waste any more time and silence your inner mean girl now.
What if on that day I could have looked at myself with that same kindness and acceptance that I feel today when I look at that picture? What a wasted opportunity to feel good about myself and to take in that moment more fully! Bet you’ve done this to yourself too.
What if you added up all those moments you berated yourself because you didn’t feel like you looked pretty enough, thin enough, whatever enough.. and just loved yourself and said 'I am beautiful right now'?
"But I don’t feel beautiful," you say.
Fair enough. What if you were just not so mean and instead noticed two good things about yourself in that moment? Something like, 'My lips look pretty with this shade of lipstick' or 'That dress is so cute on me'. You know what else would be good? What if you thought about the person or people you were going to be with and how much you are going to enjoy the time you spend together?
Try to be in your life instead of in your head.
When those negative thoughts come, just stop and think of two good things to say to yourself and do that again and again. This will soon spread into other areas of your life and you may start to realize that you’re not half bad at singing or that you're pretty damn good at walking lunges .
Here’s what else will happen, you will be more empathetic to others. When I notice myself being more critical of other people, I know that I am being harsh and mean to myself. How can I look past your rumpled shirt and see your kind brown eyes if I am constantly picking myself apart?
So, really, being kind to yourself is so unselfish that it's not even funny!
It’s such a waste of time to have to wait to realize how you good you actually had something. I really wish I could have seen what was good about myself in the mirror that day while I was getting ready for my anniversary dinner. Who knows how much more I would have enjoyed that night, since I would have been more present to my husband and our lovely dinner?
Don't waste any more time and silence your inner mean girl now.
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