Before reading this post, please remember that I am not a health professional. I am blogging about my own experience and what has worked specifically for me. For concerns about your own health and diet, please contact your physician or dietician for specific advice.
For the first two installments of this series, see “How I Do ‘It’ — Healthy Eating” and “How I Do “It” — Exercise.
Out of everything that makes up a healthy individual, I have to say having a positive self image is absolutely 100% the most difficult of them all for me. In fact, it’s so much easier to get up, speak negatively to myself, treat my body like crap, and end up being cranky all day.
It’s much more difficult to get up with a great outlook on my body and my mind, look in the mirror and tell myself “hey lady… you kind of rock!” each morning.
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It’s no surprise here that I have had difficulties with my self esteem in other posts I have mentioned. I have had difficulties with the scale, difficulties believing in my body with health issues. Recently, I discussed my struggles with finding happiness within myself on a daily basis. It has been so enlightening to hear that other people also struggle with this from time to time, and I can honestly disclose that I am at a place in my life where I am genuinely happy.
This happiness isn’t coming from others (unless we’re going to get into a faith based discussion — then, I can give all my thanks to God) — it’s coming from me.
My self esteem and self worth is skyrocketing because I believe I am worthy of being happy. I give myself permission to love me for who I am.
But how do I actually do it?
- Focus on what you do have instead of what you don’t. This is so so big. There’s always going to be someone out there who has more money, a better paying job, a “seemingly” happier relationship, a better family situation — need I continue? Instead of focusing on what you “don’t” have, focus on what you do! Write down a list of what you do have that you are grateful for anytime you feel the jealousy bug coming to bite you.
- Develop a personal motto. Crazy Clean Eating Girl, say what? A personal motto — something you can live by that encourages healthy behaviors all around. It doesn’t have to be anything long or deep. My background on my computer is actually a great reminder for me on how I should live my day each life — because I’m worth it.
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Stop the negative self talk. Whatever you’re saying that is negative about yourself, stop. Seriously, just stop it. Whether it’s fat talk, telling yourself you “can’t” do something, or just not liking yourself, you have to stop. Liking yourself is the first step to realizing your self worth. If you don’t think you are worth it, it doesn’t matter if everyone else in the world does. Our own opinions matter so much more to us than others.
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- Set some goals. There is no worse feeling than thinking you don’t have anything to strive for. Having concrete goals (short term and long term) will help you see the progress you are making, thus building your self esteem and self worth. Do all goals need to be met? No! Sometimes, plans change or you as a person change. As long as you are every so often monitoring and changing your goals, let life carry you wherever you want to go! Just a tip though? Write the goals down — it’s just like a to do list: you’re much more apt to cross things off if they are written down!
- Don’t play the comparison trap. There have been so many great bloggers lately who have written posts about the comparison trap. Comparing yourself to others is a recipe for disaster. Focus on yourself and what is good for you in your life.
Again, just like healthy eating and exercising, having a positive self image doesn’t happen overnight. I still struggle some days where I don’t feel like my normal self, but usually it has nothing to do with what I “look like” or what I’ve accomplished — it has everything to do with another situation and I happen to take it out on myself instead. If you go one day without speaking down to yourself, reward yourself! That is an accomplishment in itself.
As egocentric as that last image is — it’s true! You should love yourself. Because really, if you don’t love yourself, it’s going to be a lot more difficult to allow others to love you as well.
You and only you have the power to turn your life around — to make yourself believe that you are worth it. What are you waiting for?
Question: Tell me something you love about yourself!
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