Something I have ALWAYS struggled with is loving me for me. It is easy to look at other people and feel like they are better than you, prettier than you, and that life is better for them. And ya if you have that mind set then it is probably true.
How can we learn to love ourselves? When I went on my mission I gained 50 pounds... I am sure it was a mixture of my body retaining so much water and all of the delicious southern cooking I got to enjoy but body image was important to me and I could barely stand to live with my self because I felt so huge and ugly. I really thought that when people saw me that was all they saw and I didn't even want to leave my house. I was determined to get the weight off because I thought that would bring me happiness. So I cut everything out of my diet except vegetables, fruit, and protein. And I exercised like a crazy person until I lost all of the weight that I had gained.
I felt so accomplished but what I was surprised about was that I still didn't feel pretty and I still didn't feel happy with my self and my body image. And guess what?? People still loved me exactly the same. It did not matter to them how much I weighed and I guess if it did then they really weren't someone important to me. God just wants us to love ourself. The people who love themselves are the people that are truly beautiful. Because they know their self worth is measured by so much more than the outward appearance. It is a process of self discovery and being completely honest with ourselves to over come our weaknesses and develop our strengths.
Now I just had a baby and I have to do all that work again, and yes I still struggle with my body image and being able to feel beautiful but I have learned a lot over the past two years about self discovery.
We do need to exercise and eat right in order to live a long healthy life. That is important. But, as long as we are trying our best that is all God expects of us. Our looks do not and never will define us. It is our souls that make us beautiful people. Our souls make us truly shine and attract people to us. I could be the prettiest person in the world but if I have an ugly soul then it doesn't matter.
God blessed me with a loving husband, a beautiful baby girl, a wonderful family, a job I love, the chance to go to school to earn my degree, a house to live in that's close to family, and a wonderful life. I am so much more than a girl with brown hair, green eyes, and size 7 feet. We are our worst critics. It would do us well to look in the mirror and see all of the amazing things we are capable of. No matter what every person is beautiful in their own way. We have to learn to love ourselves or it will be a miserable life. When we love ourselves and forget about our problems for a minute we can love others. When we stop judging our selves we won't be so judgemental to others. When we can love ourself then we can truly begin to love life and that is the only way to experience true happiness.
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