I got some interesting (like, huh?), insightful (very), wonderful comments on yesterday’s post about not feeling beautiful. The last couple weeks have been hard for many reasons and that is one of them. So thank you all for that.
I suppose I was a little shocked by how many people are struggling with feeling beautiful. Some of you flat out said “I am not beautiful.” That hurt me a little. I still think everyone is beautiful in their own way, even if sometime like me they don’t feel that way. I wrote that I didn’t feel beautiful, not that I wasn’t. Beauty is something that is subjective, that is in the eye of the beholder, and is something that appears to one person while others don’t see it. It’s tricky. That’s why you can’t rely on what other people, but only what you know to be true yourself.
For the longest time I relied on what other people told me about myself. They said things to me and I believed them. Mostly I believed only the bad things. This was the worst plan ever. I wish I had been stronger willed earlier like I am now so that I could have ignored all those things and just believed in myself like I do now.
This is just another step in the process. It’s me moving on from those thoughts and pushing myself to believe good things. The first step is acknowledging the problem. Done. And now? Ah, and now I make myself believe the truth. I’m beautiful. Even with the body that keeps changing into something I’m unsure of, I’m still beautiful.
How am I going to do it? I’m going to tell myself. About ten different people yesterday left me comments or messages telling me to start telling myself I’m beautiful in the mirror. I don’t really like forced positive mantras. It sounds silly and I don’t really want to do it, but I will. It’s not like I don’t say good things about myself in the mirror naturally, cause I do. “That’s looks good!” “You are so cute!” “Your body shape looks goooood.” etc. are things that just naturally pop in my head when I’m in front of a mirror. (Seriously. I like mirrors. Haha.) But now we are adding beautiful into the mix.
At the gym I read an article about Jennifer Love Hewitt and how she says 5 good things about herself in the morning before the day begins and at night before she goes to bed. That’s my new plan. I’m going to do it every day for the rest of April and see how it makes me feel. If you would like to join me in this little project I would LOVE the company. It couldn’t hurt you, and maybe it will help. The five things can be anything good, and one of mine has to be “I AM BEAUTIFUL.” Because I am. Really. And eventually I’m going to full 100% believe that all the time. :)
And now, for something a little more fun…
Giveaway Time!
Most of you know that I’m not a dieter. I don’t do traditional diets. But I know that some of you do and for some of you they work. One of my favorite bloggers, Lyn from Escape From Obesity is currently doing Medifast. I’ve been following her posts and some of her food looks really good.
That’s why I said yes to a giveaway offer for some Medifast food. The food looks pretty good, it seems to be working for Lyn, and I would never turn down free food so why would y’all? The giveaway is simple. You go look at the page of the best Medifast foods and come back and leave me a comment telling me which one you want. (Personally I wish I could win some shakes!) In one week the winner will be randomly chosen and mailed their choice! Voila! So leave me a comment to win! Good luck!
This giveaway is sponsored by Snubbr.
Hey, those Medifast shakes look great. Sign me up!
P.S.
I wanted to say – I also loved your post yesterday and also struggle with feeling beautiful, but I think your attitude is a great one. Self-esteem is such a tricky issue, because you don’t want to have too much of it, but too little of it can be so crippling. It’s hard to find the balance of who you are in Christ and to feel confident in who He wants you to be.
Thanks Heather! And thanks for the comment. Good reminder to email you. ;)
My entire blog is basically about my self image struggles. It has helped me get it out there. I have good days and bad days. Lately, bad days but I have not been feeling well so hopefully that will get better soon.
.-= Jen´s last blog ..Let’s Get Physical =-.
I want to try the chili!
Like you, for many years I also relied on what other people said about me, and I only felt beautiful if someone mentioned it. So, I totally get where you are coming from.
I’ve been on a journey of self-acceptance myself. It will come in time. :)
I LOVE your mantra idea, as well as saying 5 good things about yourself in the morning and before you go to bed. I think I’m going to try that too.
I think EVERY woman has something beautiful about her. Have a great day!
Hope
I just found your blog today. Started my own journey December 1st, 2009 and now looking for blogs and twitter folks for more support. =)
I LOVED your blog from yesterday. I, too, have spent my whole life being “cute”, when i was anything besides fat. I’m going to try your daily am and pm mantra with you as well. =)
I thought the Medifast puddings looked good! Nutritious and yum, and a serving is only 1 carb choice for me, woot!
Thank you for sharing your journey as well. =D
.-= Janece Suarez´s last blog ..Aerobics Classes are Evil =-.
I think that the mantras will most definitely help you. Good luck with those.
I would also love to try the Medifast chili.
Giving yourself positive mantras is a great way to empower you to continue working on your goals and saying them in front of the mirror will really enforce them for you. Best of luck!
I would definitely be interested in trying the chili.
Medifast bars! Would try that.
Anyway, you know what I do every morning when I wake up :) Look in the mirror and check myself out. Maybe you should add a wink in there too. Like…*wink* Sup beautiful?! *wink*
No shame in doing that. It starts my day off nice and bright, gives me a little chuckle, and I feel proud of myself.
You’ll slowly start seeing the beauty that you emit.
.-= Jess´s last blog ..Weigh-in #11 =-.
I love mirrors.. I always catch myself looking in them, or any reflective surface I come across.. Lol. But hey, I catch my friends doing it too. Or we all stand in front of the large sliding mirror closet doors in my front hall.. Lol. They must have some kinda spell in them! I think I would laugh if I tried affirmations though.
Oh ps this is just a comment, not an entry into the contest. Good luck to someone else tho :)
.-= merri´s last blog ..White Party Part 1 of 2: Saturday =-.
I’m all for shakes!
I love this mantra idea. I was watching Real Life (I know, I know) last night while running and it was about “I’m Not Beautiful” and how these girls were getting botox and plastic surgery to feel better about themselves. It never worked. So sad. I know that’s not the case with you, but it still makes me sad :( You are beautiful, inside and out. And you know, the inside is really what matters :)
.-= Nicole, RD´s last blog ..A dose of diabetic reality =-.
I’ll pass on the giveaway but those negative thoughts contribute a lot to the whole struggle of weight stuff. Everyone! is beautiful…it’s learning to see it and feel it and BELIEVE it!
.-= Julie – Big Girl Bombshell´s last blog ..Dr. Jekyll – Mr. Hyde Diet =-.
I would like to try the bars!
I might have to try this say good things about yourself with you. It is hard for me to do beyond the fact that I think I am fit… very hard for me! I really love your thought process though Mary & that you think you are beautiful. I don’t think I am so I will have to work on that for myself.
No need to enter me in the giveaway as I think others would benefit more from it but thx for offering it up.
.-= Jody – Fit at 52´s last blog ..Lists to Achieve Success =-.
I would have to pick chili!
.-= sian-girlgestrong´s last blog ..Review: Real Ryder Bike =-.
I’d love to try the bars. I eat lots of bars of various types because I’m on the road a lot for work. I’ve found it’s better to have a healthy snack with me than to constantly stop at convenience stores starving!
.-= Janet´s last blog ..Yoga Voices in My Head =-.
Positive mantras are important. I’ve picked up the mantra “It’s just food” from the Confessions of a Compulsive Eater blog, and I’ve found that it really helps me- and yeah, I need to work on the positive mantra of “I am beautiful”, too. It’s hard to believe it, sometimes. It’s hard to look past everything that we don’t like about ourselves. But I really like that idea of saying 5 positive things in the morning and at night… might have to give that a try.
.-= Sagan´s last blog ..The Living Healthy in the Real World Guide to Budgeting, Part Six: Looking Toward the Future =-.
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