Body Confidence: Loving Your Body

by She FIt on August 2, 2009

Why is it that we are never confident with out own body… constantly comparing ourselves to theirs and wanting what they have? If we have brown hair, we want blonde hair… if we have curly hair we want straight hair… if we are big we want to be thin… if we are short we want to be tall… if we have light colored skin we want dark skinned… if we have brown eyes we want blue eyes.

The reality is, we will never be content with what we have. I have always wanted blonde hair, but if I have blonde hair I probably would want brown hair. I think this stems from always comparing myself to other people… If only I had a smaller waistline like her, if only my legs weren’t as big as hers… if only, if only, if only…

Can anyone relate?

What if we started living our lives focused on what we DO have instead of living our lives always comparing ourselves to others and what we do NOT have?!?!

… to thank God every moment for the things he has blessed us with.

* Eyes to see a miraculous sunset

* Hair to comb and style

* A nose to breath the fresh crisp air during a morning jog

* A mouth to enjoy the vast array of flavors the world has to offer

* A stomach to hold food or for the future of hold a baby in one day

* Legs to run and feel the ground beneath my tennis shoes

For the month of August I challenge you to focus on what you do have and be content with who you are. Every time you look in the mirror and start to think, “Man, my butt is big” stop yourself and thank God for the butt you do have.

So what do you think, are you with me?

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Tagged as: beauty, Confidence, Cultures, Diet, Diversity, Fitness, Love, Self-Esteem, Sparkpeople, Weight Watchers

{ 20 comments }

Andrea@WellnessNotes August 2, 2009 at 3:14 pm: I agree, it’s so easy to be so critical of our bodies and to be unkind to ourselves. Would we really ever tell a friend what we tell ourselves at times???

Yes, I will be thankful for what I have for the month of August (and hopefully beyond…). Thanks for a great challenge!
Erica August 2, 2009 at 3:17 pm: Amennnnnnnnn. Frankly though, I’m short and I love it

A restaurant that only serves PB&J? When can I visit you??
Carolyn August 2, 2009 at 3:22 pm: Perhaps we just have to go to the other side before we appreciate what we have. I appreciate my hair now that I’ve tried being blonde (too much maintenance and made my hair do dry it would mat up like a dog) and now that I’ve learned how to style it and know it can be curly OR straight.
Gina August 2, 2009 at 5:03 pm: It’s too bad that “belly fat” add had to pop up right at the end of your inspirational post! What a bummer. Either way, I love your challenge, and I’m all about it. I compare myself to others way too often. I have a lot of confidence, but I still compare and contrast a lot. I will try to focus on the good things I have, like my complexion, it’s quite nice. Yeah, that felt good!
CaSaundra August 2, 2009 at 5:09 pm: Love the idea–there is so much more to life than looks! I’m in I love my olive skin tone from being Italian. I used to haaate it.
Sophia August 2, 2009 at 5:17 pm: BEST post ever!!! I totally love what you said, esp the part that instead of focusing on our temporary, physical body, we should thank God every moment for the things he has blessed us with. thanks for reminding me that I have SO much to give thanks for! <3<3
Jess August 2, 2009 at 5:23 pm: Love this post! Thanks so much for this! Thanks for the comment as well
<3 jess
Jody - Fit at 51 August 2, 2009 at 6:37 pm: So hard to do but so much we need to do it! I have a lot trouble with that negative talk. Thx for an important post!
Laura August 2, 2009 at 6:59 pm: It is very important to step back from time to time and look at the things we do have to be thankful for. Thanks for leaving a comment!
Mandy A August 2, 2009 at 7:10 pm: JUST what I needed today!!!!!!!!!! It’s so hard sometimes to really put life in perspective when the little things like that take over your mind.. ya know??

This post was awesome!! Thank you for that!
katey August 2, 2009 at 8:33 pm: are you allergic to almonds? you could make your own! just add cinnamon & raisins hahahah TRY IT! and let me know! You could invent it!
The Actors Diet August 2, 2009 at 10:17 pm: heck yeah! love the skin you’re in!
Christina August 2, 2009 at 10:40 pm: What a great post..I just discovered this blog!! I LOVE it! I used to have the worst confidence in my body. I am just now starting to love the way I look. Not all the time, but I am getting there
South Beach Steve August 3, 2009 at 5:05 am: We really are a “grass is always greener” society, that is for sure. I like how you put it though – be thankful for what you do have. I once heard a story of a man who compared his wife to his neighbor’s wife (big mistake on so many levels). Anyhow, his wife was a little chubby, and his neighbor’s wife was skinny. When he made this comparison, his wife pointed out that the neighbor’s wife had lots of medical issues, depression, and many other things going on in her life, then asked if he really wanted his neighbor’s wife. I thought it was a good point that has affected my viewpoint on lots of things in life since then. Be happy with what you have, change it for the better if you can, but never wish you were someone else.
brandi August 3, 2009 at 6:16 am: beautiful post, and I totally agree! I know I am so much more critical of myself than I am of other people which makes no sense! I need to be more appreciative of what I’ve been given and love what I have.
Kristie August 3, 2009 at 8:22 am: Thanks for this, I need to remember it more than ever right now! We are always so critical of ourselves. I would love to just be able to accept, and even LOVE every bit of myself. I’m really going to start trying to work on this a lot more. Time for a positivity boost!
holly the healthy everythingtarian August 3, 2009 at 8:28 am: i’ve been working on focusing on what I DO HAVE instead of what is lacking. it makes life richer, and the important things remain important (instead of the non-important things!).
Robin August 3, 2009 at 10:39 am: Ok ok, I know I need to do this but it’s so hard. I’m trying though!
bananasun August 3, 2009 at 4:59 pm: That was such a great post!
I agree, we should start to focus on the great attributes we do have, rather than the ones we wish we had.
Since it seems so easy for us to see the desirable aspects of other people, we just need to find those attributes within ourselves!
xx
lindsay August 4, 2009 at 5:45 am: this is definitely something everyone should work on… we all have imperfections and we tend to be harder on ourselves for them. we definitely need to appreciate what we do have – strength and beauty!