Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

I had a profound thought today...

I like myself well enough the way that I am, but I know myself well enough to know I can be better.

Well, it was profound for me, anyway.

I like myself, for the most part, but I can also fall into a trap of negative thinking. I need to work on liking myself more.

I can be going along, fine with my day, but then I will catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror. My eye will catch the bra bulge and back fat. I will see the love handles and saddle bags. I will NOT see a definite jaw line because of the second chin and excess jowl that has appeared.

Then I will fall into my "why bother?" frame of mind. Then I will binge.

That's my cycle. Vicious, ain't it?

But it's fixable. I know it is. I know if I can like who I am, I will treat myself better. I'm good to people I like. And I know what's good for me. Treating myself to a bag of cheesy puffs isn't good.

And while I'm working on my mindset, I am also working on the physical me. I have started eating cleaner, Tosca Reno-style. That alone has given me a wealth of excess energy just begging to be burned off. I still have some tweaks to make to my food choices, but it has been a great start.

I also have found a fantastic support group with online friends and fellow freelancers. If you've ever been overweight, you know how lonely it can feel at times. These lovely ladies have been so incredibly helpful and inspiring. I know all I have to do is reach out and someone will be there to grab my hand. You have no idea how much of a difference that makes. They make me want to stay on track.

And they have made me realize I am not just a size 13, or a number on the scale.

I had never realized...a good support group is priceless.

So, I'm starting a new cycle. I'm liking myself more, so I'm being good to myself more and living more to my true potential, which is starting to improve my outward appearance, which makes me like myself more...

Did you notice there was no binging in that cycle? Pretty cool, huh?





Photo Credit: asifthebes/sxc.hu