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Now THAT is Stupid
My beautiful friend Maggie wrote an amazing post this weekend about loving yourself just the way you are. I’ve read a lot of posts about this topic and they all sorta just seem cheesy to me. I skim them and nothing really sinks in. I get the message they are trying to convey but I never feel any real emotion tied to the post.
Maggie’s post was different. It hit me in all the right places-it made me say ‘hellz yea’ after every sentence. If for some reason you don’t want to go read the entire post (do it seriously) here’s my favorite line:
“Someday I’ll be 80 and I’ll look back and wonder why I wasted any time criticizing my appearance. So I’ll listen to that future 80-year-old (oh, and my husband), realize that I’m beautiful, end of story, and love myself as I am, no matter what my body looks like.”
Is that not the truth? Why do we waste so much time putting ourselves down and picking at every little flaw we think we have that we forget how amazing our bodies truly are? Like most women, I have a ton of issues with my body and honestly cannot remember the last time I stood butt-naked in-front of the mirror and just looked at myself. How terrifying is that? No woman wants to stand there and just stare at her naked body in the mirror because all we see are the flaws.
Oh my love handles need to go. I wish my arm flab wouldn’t shake when I wave. This cellulite is anything but attractive. Why can’t I get my stomach flat?
BLAH BLAH BLAH. I could go on for days (as I’m sure you could too) about everything I want to change about my body. But why? We are the only ones who notice all these little flaws and it’s doubtful anyone else does. So why can’t we look in the mirror at our (naked) body and think “damn I look good” and smile?
Because -it’s hard. Especially when all you’re thinking is about what you need to change instead of how rockin you look.
So do me a favor, go stand naked in front of your bathroom mirror and take a good look at your body. Appreciate it, respect it and most of all try to love what you see. Even if it’s just for one moment that you can see all the wonderful aspects opposed to the those that you think need ‘fixing,’ it’s important to remember how incredible our actually bodies are.
And honestly, I hate the idea of being 80 years old, looking back and thinking that I wasted all my time hating my body instead of loving it or living my life. What a waste of freaking time and energy. So let’s dance and feel good instead!
That’s all the nonsense I have for now!
Categories Nonsense | Tags: body image
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18 Comments to Now THAT is Stupid
Awww, thanks, Boo! And that Mirror Five picture is awesome … and so true.
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
LYLAS
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I read Maggie’s post and your post and this could not have come at a better time! I struggle with body image issues. I think we all do but my body image issue was the cause of my anxiety and still is. I always compare myself to other and think jeez why am I not that skinny or why do I have love handles. I should appreciate the body that God gave me and treat it with respect too. Thank you Kelsey and Maggie for your very great incites on loving yourself!
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:42 pm
wooohoo!
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Loved her post too. Especially since so many bloggers body snark themselves and it makes me EFFIN’ nuts. The other day someone had one of those Liebster (sp?) awards up and one of the questions they added was “what would you want to change about your body?” huh? Come on. I couldn’t think of much. My body is strong and powerful, and I love it and am grateful for it. I wish people would quit focusing on little details about themselves that only they see.
Sorry for the rant. Touchy subject with me
a
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
I seriously LOVE this comment and that you couldn’t think of anything you would want to change about your body! you have THE BEST outlook!
you are fabulous and you know it!
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I loved Maggie’s post too! It definitely struck a cord with me and reminded me that life is too short to obsess over something as stupid as what size pants I wear. Especially when I have so many positive things going for me in my life!
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
TOTES!
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This is a fantastic post, Kelsey. On Saturday I was out running errands and for some reason or other was thinking about the list of things that bother me about myself, and as I was walking I thought, “You know, I wonder how many people even notice all of these things?” Obviously I spend more time around me than anyone else does, which gives me more than enough time to notice everything I might consider to be a flaw, but no one else has even come close to spending 22 uninterrupted years with me. And even those who HAVE spent a lot of time around me (i.e.: my parents) haven’t noticed all my “flaws.” I clearly remember being in middle school and mentioning to my mom how much I don’t like my left eyebrow (that’s the one that’s half blonde, half brown, while my other eyebrow is all brown), and she said that she truly had never even noticed it. My own mother! And I was around 11 or 12 at the time! If even my mom doesn’t notice those things after 10+ YEARS, chances are random people I encounter probably aren’t going to notice it, either. And even if they do notice my “flaws,” man, that’s what makes me ME. If my janky eyebrows are going to be a dealbreaker for you, you’re probably not someone I want in my life, anyway. I’m not going to pretend like I’ve got everything together and that I’m doing a fantastic job at embracing myself for who I am, flaws and all, because that would be an utter lie, BUT I think this post is really powerful and puts out an extremely important message that a lot of us need to hear. So thank you for that
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Maggie Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 10:36 am
I wish I had multi-colored eyebrows! That sounds cool.
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:43 pm
I LOVE your eyebrow!
And this comment.
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Wait. You mean not everyone stands in front of the bathroom mirror and flexes? That’s just me? Seriously, though, I have my own things I don’t like about myself but you know what? This body can do AMAZING things and that’s what I should focus on.
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Kelsey Reply:
February 11th, 2013 at 3:45 pm
This made me CRACK up. Your body is amazing!
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I loved reading both of your posts! So true… which is why I make a point of going by the mirrors in the gym locker room and often go “my legs look pretty f-ing fab today… long leg hair and all…”
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Au naturale is in right?
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Ya…Maggie nailed it and I love that it sunk in. I have bikini anxiety all year round. If its summer, spring, winter…just the thought of getting in a swimsuit in public makes me feel anxious. I realized how much of that is totally lame because it takes away from the enjoyment of vacation. Vacations are supposed to be a time of memories and spending time with people, not an amplified version of body issues. Your only young once, right? rock that swimsuit and enjoy yourself.
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I love both of these posts. And that GIF. Soooo funny.
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You are beautiful in every way..and I love you sweetie. I LOVED this post!
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