Let's face it: It's really hard to be good to ourselves all the time. We constantly put pressure on ourselves to be better, to aspire to a best, and it's great to have that motivation, but oftentimes that goal to be better is overshadowed by negative self-talk and our discontent with our present selves. I know I struggle greatly with my body image and I always have but I also know that struggle only comes from society's expectations of my body and from the fact that I've been conditioned to compare my body to others. Regardless, my body is strong, resilient, and beautiful, as hard as that is to tell myself all the time, but I'm working on it. Today, I'm going to challenge you all to do the same and stop for a second to think of five things you love about yourselves. Got them? Good. I can tell you now that for every five awesome things you think about yourself, there's someone out there who can name 50 awesome things about you. You are loved and do not forget that. Need some more perspective? Here are five more reasons why it's OK to love yourself at all times, as you are.
1. You woke up today.
As someone who once found waking up everyday a begrudging task, I have become so much more grateful for the chance to wake up everyday. Our bodies wake up everyday and we work them to the bone (bad pun intended). We exhaust ourselves and we neglect to give ourselves the rest our body needs yet it still performs for us everyday and if that's not a reason to love it then I don't know what is.
2. You are not society's expectations.
Every body is extraordinary in its own way. Whether it's scars or cellulite or whatever "flaw" you can't stop obsessing over, it is you, and although you have the power to change your body as you wish, you never need to do so because you think your body is inadequate. There is no formula to what is beautiful and what isn't. If you love yourself and others you radiate a beauty that is brighter and more powerful than any airbrushed image.
3. You are working on yourself! Cheer yourself on!
Even if you aren't happy with how you currently look, you should be applauding yourself for kicking ass during that workout or eating that healthy meal for lunch, not getting pissed when you step on the scale and don't see the number you want right away. Even if you haven't been exercising or eating healthy, it's never too late to start. Be patient with your body and it will be worth it!
4. Body positivity is contagious!
The more you spread positivity about your body and other people's bodies, the more people will be influenced to do the same. Just like hearing someone with a hearty laugh makes us laugh just as hard or seeing someone yawn makes us do the same, the more people see that body positivity, the more likely they are to spread it themselves!
5. Think about how loving yourself can change the world for our future.
If we start a revolution of body positivity and encouragement, imagine how our kids will feel. Imagine how we would have felt as kids if that's the kind of message people had been sending us. I wouldn't have felt like there was something wrong with me because I didn't look like what was on TV. Imagine how you wanted to feel as a little kid and use that to spread the message to little girls and boys that it's okay to be and love yourself. Just think of what you would want to say to yourself as a child; it definitely wouldn't have been "you're not good enough." That's not the kind of world I believe in.
Love yourselves!Love others! Go kick ass at your work out or eat some healthy food, but in the meantime, do yourselves a favor and look in the mirror and tell yourselves: "I am more than enough. I am incredible," because you are perfect just as you are, even as you continue to better yourselves never forget that without the body you have in the present, you wouldn't be able to progress to the future.
