How many times have you looked at yourself and wanted to change something? If you are like me I’m guessing quite a few times. That evil little gremlin that lives in your brain starts criticising every part of you, and I want you to tell it to PISS OFF.
I hate the fact (I’m guilty of it doing this) that there is this perception, largely created by the society that we live in, that what we look like on the outside is the be all and end all. It makes us scrutinise every small imperfection that you may think you have.
But bbz let me tell you, these are not imperfections at all!!! They are perfectly perfect and make you YOU!!
Our bodies are mind bogglingly aaaammmmmaaaazzzziiiiinnnggg. Think of how much they do for you without you even thinking about it. I mean really think of everything it can do:
- make babies
- heal you
- communicate
- carry you from A to B
I could go on.
I guess what I’m trying to say is we need to be kinder to our bodies, and appreciate them more. Chessie King, who I’m obsessed with, an influencer (the good kind) said something that I think is so valuable and has stuck with me.
“Treat yourself like you would a best friend.” Would you say “you’ve got fat thighs” or “your nose is really wonky” or whatever negative thought you may have about your body to a best friend? I’m guessing and crossing my fingies and trottees - (fingers and toes for those who don’t know me well) that the answer is no. If it is, then why are you saying these things about yourself. Your body is bloody marvellous – SO STOP BEING A MASSIVE DICK TO IT.
Insecurities – the little buggers! To many others, totally insignificant, but to you they can feel like the end of the world. Capable of totally ruining your day – pissing on your parade. Far from ideal, but everyone has them!! And most importantly everyone’s are different. For years and years (and admittedly I still do) I have had negative thoughts about my appearance, some more deep routed than others. And I’m still trying to reach my happy place with them.
However, some of them I have come to love and celebrate. And now think “P you blithering idiot. WHY DID YOU CARE SO MUCH?”. For years I hated my forehead because:
1) It is very large and ( we're talking at least a 6 head)
2) I have a dent in it (It looks like I’ve had a rubber band around my forehead since I popped out of Mamma K's hooha … cute)
Whenever I had photos of myself I would ask my friends “is my dent showing?” and if I thought it was I would delete it and let it dampen my mood. It was only when I told a friend about this that I realised how silly this was. I told them about my ‘dent’ to which they replied “don’t flatter yourself, people don’t look at you that closely, I can honestly say I’ve never noticed” I mean they were not wrong! I bet 99.999% of the time, people would not notice whatever it is that you think is so obvious and disastrous about the way you look. And it’s because of that pesky, evil little gremlin that I mentioned earlier, who is always the first to criticise, that we think everyone is talking about it!
I guess what I’m trying to say is celebrate your differences, and don’t let them become bigger than it is. What you most dislike about yourself, may well be what others love about you, because it makes you YOU! I’m not saying the journey to appreciating what you dislike about yourself is easy, because let me tell you … for free, it is tricky, and takes time and practice. Some days you may slip into bad habits of criticising yourself, but please persevere because it is so so so worth it. Investing in being kinder to yourself is something you won’t regret.
Have confidence in your difference, accept what you cannot and need not change, and love that body of yours, it’s the only one you have.
You are one sexy beast,
P
