I have been pondering…
This is when all of you are
supposed to say uh-oh J
My 9-year-old
daughter had to get her first pair of glasses this week. She was very excited
for herself, and I could tell she felt very grown up and important as she was
picking out the frames. Then all of the giddiness turned into anxiety as she
thought about wearing them to school for the first time. It broke my heart to
see her worrying so much about being teased and wondering what her friends
would say to her. The good ole’ four eyes slur seems to be alive and thriving.
As I watched her struggle to control her
nerves, I thought about how much my own perspectives have changed. I used to be
that person who was constantly worried about how I was being perceived by
others. Let me just say how crippling and destructive that can be.
I
have done a lot of maturing and growing since then. I am thankful that I have
gained the perspective to put the approval of others in its proper place. (Yes,
there is a need for it as long as it is well balanced.) I am also grateful that
I wasn’t being hypocritical when I was teaching my daughter the importance of
being comfortable in her own skin, and that beauty is not altered by
superficial things like glasses.
Knowing
this has been the key to success for me on this quest for health. Before when I
dieted, it was always with an intensity that was fueled by how I looked to
others. I was looking for my self-worth in a smaller size of pants. This led to
some very unhealthy methods of taking the weight off. I always gained it back
and ended up feeling worse about myself in the end.
This time is drastically different. Of course, I am excited to look and feel
better. I celebrate with glee each time I fit into pants that I couldn’t
before. The difference lies in my motivation. I am doing this for my family and
myself because I want us to be active and healthy. I no longer define myself by how I look. The
reasons are too numerous and in-depth for this blog, but the special women of
Fitopia are a big part of that. Thanks ladies. J
All true, but I won't mind rockin' some smokin' hotness! :)
ReplyDeleteI think that I get as excited about seeing Jason and Anthony make healthy choices and get results as I do about fitting in smaller jeans...almost!