A little self love on Valentine’s Day

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As I was paging through the February issue of BRAVA magazine last week, I read a first-person account about one woman’s struggle with weight-loss and body image. (Kudos to the author, Cheryl Breuer… I rarely take time to read entire feature articles. I read yours start to finish!) In addition to giving her own account, Breuer explains why so many women in our society are obsessed with their bodies.

I thought back to my own life exactly two years ago, and realized that I, too, have spent many sad nights in that dark place women go, where weight just seems to keep appearing on our bodies and no matter how hard we try—and how hard we want it—it just doesn’t come off. We mentally put ourselves down, and crush our spirits with every glance in a mirror. And what for? The hope that maybe someday, we’ll be able to fit into those skinny jeans?

Two years later and nearly twenty pounds lighter, I finally learned the solution to my weight loss dilemma. For so many years, I’d been on what I call, the “purpose diet,” or living without a purpose. What I was missing was simple: True happiness. At the time, I was burying myself in things that weren’t my mission in life. Sure I loved fashion (and I worked with an amazing groups of gals at BRAVA), but because I kept trying and trying to fit myself into a mold, I was getting further and further from that person that the universe made me to be.

Fashion was easy for me, yes, but there were barriers in place that kept me from going bigger… something inside me always stopped me from reaching that all-star potential I desperately wanted in the fashion realm. Meanwhile, I was neglecting the things that really made me happy because I didn’t realize they had such profound effects: Blogging, biking, taking pictures. In fact, when I look back on that year, I have maybe three albums of photos saved on my computer. THREE! In the past year, I’ve made at least three per week.

So what’s my point, here?

Perhaps when life gives us lemons—or in my case, extra rolls on my midriff—it’s a sign from the universe.  “Psssst… what you’re doing isn’t working! Can you hear me? Listen to your inner self. Go with the flow and allow life to take its course! Let change come into your world—embrace it.”

That’s exactly what I did. No diet plan, no food restrictions. Hell, I ate more Mexican food than I’d care to admit. Dinner last Thursday? A bologna sandwich with cheese and mayo, and a homemade cookie. DELISH! Dinner tonight? Indian curry… so good. What I have to maintain day in, and day out, is my focus on my passions. The talents that the universe has given me in order to make this world a better place. When I don’t blog for 4 days, it wears on me… I get cranky, I feel guilty… a wise friend once told me that I should be blogging every day. And to build a habit of something, that’s what you need: Repetition. Routine.

Do what the universe is calling you to do, and you will be rewarded. How’s that for a little self-love on Valentine’s day?

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