Because It Deserves It

Day #11 of the #loveyourbodychallenge from Molly Galbraith of GirlsGoneStrong.

Reason #11 to Love My Body:  Because It Deserves It

I think this is probably the hardest one for me to embrace so far.  I know that my body is strong and capable.  I know that my body is awesome and beautiful.  But loving my body simply because it is and because it deserves it is difficult.

I'm sure that there's lots of reasons that I deserve love and I can spout them off with the best of them.  But, sometimes, that just feels like lip service.  Knowing deep down and truly believing it is something completely different.  And something that I am still learning.   In fact, I could probably give you an amazingly long list of why my body is NOT deserving of love.  I'm too big.  I'm not pretty enough.  My abs aren't well defined.  I have funny looking toes.  I have had the same hairstyle since high school.  I couldn't care less about fashion sense.  I wear my pajamas to drop my kids off at school and to go shopping.  Yep -- I'm one of those.  But, the more I think about that, the more I realize that the reasons why NOT aren't mine: they are society's reasons.  And not a single one of those are a reason to dislike myself or my body.  They are somebody else's reasons to judge me.  And I refuse to live my life by someone else's standards.  I'm my own person -- and I'm fabulous.

I can read.  I can write.  I can type.  I can help others be their most amazing selves.  I have opinions about everything and I don't have a problem expressing those opinions.  I enjoy lifting.  I have a short attention span when it comes to planning.  I love coffee.  I love my friends.  I love my funky toes.  I have the most amazing curly hair.  I have quads that have been described as going on forever.  I have a c-section scar from where my daughters were born.  I have strong muscles and a smile for everyone.  I can stand up in front of thousands of people and not get stage fright.  I can speak eloquently in front of a CEO or exchange barbs with my friends.  There's lots of reasons for me to love my body.  And they are ALL MINE.  My own standards and my own beauty.  My own standards are the only ones that matter -- or the only ones that should.

Knowing it without a doubt every day though?  Still going to take time.