Cookie Wisdom

We can go ahead and say himself or herself for this one as I am certainly not a man, haha, but I really liked the message.

The ladies in my office have a propensity for ordering take out and leaving the remnants in the kitchen. One of their favorites is chinese yet no one seems to like their fortune cookies. I can’t say I am a huge fan of the ACTUAL cookie, but I do enjoy the little messages inside (so I often crack it and toss it…I know, I know, there are starving children all over this planet and I shouldn’t waste food).

Admittedly a lot of the messages are a little silly but every now and again I come across a truly insightful one that helps bring meaning to my life at present.

I would say the cultivation and discovery of ‘who I am’ is a work in progress,and its scarey! I am totally not as cool as I thought I was, haha!!

Honestly though, allowing yourself to be your true self can be very intimidating. We all want to be the perfect child, sibling, significant other, friend, employee, etc.. and sometimes being ourselves and being great in those roles can seem diametrically opposed.

Here’s the thing: Who you are is perfect! You were made just the way you are for a very specific reason. Daring to be true to your inner self, no matter who that is, will always allow you to be your best self no matter which role you’re in!

 

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She’s got the look

I came across this on facebook not too long ago and became mildly obsessed…I would love to hear your thoughts!

If you don’t recognize them, the trio on the bottom are Victoria Secret Models – iconic symbols of sex and beauty, right? …yea, not so much!

I don’t look like either set of women but find the top tier much more attractive than the emaciated looking women below.

As a culture we obsess over this unhealthily thin idea of beauty that is next to impossible for most women to achieve instead of obsessing over self love and healthy habits!

Shifting focus towards embracing your body type, eating healthfully and being active will always lead to your most beautiful self!

Don’t subscribe to the hype…LOVE every inch of the beautiful body with which you’ve been blessed!

Feel the love

Compliments are typically the sort of thing doled out to others – tell a friend you like her shoes, acknowledge a coworkers diligence, admire a fellow practitioners dedication to their practice, etc… but what about you?!?

So often we forget about showing ourselves a little love for the things we do. I’m probably not alone in saying I am my own biggest critic. The bar set for myself is rather high and I am constantly pushing it further and further up. Showing myself a bit of gratitude for achieving goals or exceeding expectations is quite rare.

While its great to hold yourself to high standards, sometimes it can lead to focusing on short comings instead of successes. Remembering to compliment yourself may sound silly but I assure you, this practice in self love is well worth it!

At the end of the day, I try to compliment myself on three things I did well (different from the three positives – see 3/18/13 post)! Instead of getting down on myself for not folding my laundry or making a particular phone call, I focus on the things I did accomplish, like remembering to renew a membership or being on time for everything that day. Simply allowing yourself to acknowledge the little successes can positively change your perspective and likely lead to more of them!

Compliment yourself and feel the love!

Stay Confident

When I was a child, I thought I could conquer the world. My parents built me up to have such self-confidence, pride and power of conviction that I could, no joke, do anything I set my mind to.

Over time, peer pressure, adolescent insecurities, fears and adult responsibilities reduced me from a powerful lioness to a meek little mouse. Truth be told, I am petrified of everything, all the time! I am unsure of myself, my station in life, my ability to love and be loved, my goals…you name it! Do you know what all this fear, insecurity, and lack of confidence has gotten me?!?! GOOSE EGG! NADA! NOTHING! ZERO!

I know its easier said than done but I challenge myself and all of you to stay confident! Trust your instincts, reach for your goals, believe you can achieve the unachievable and don’t stop having confidence in the beauty of your heart! There will always be stumbling blocks in life threatening to shake your core, impede your progress or otherwise mess things up for you! By meeting these challenges with confidence in yourself, there is nothing you can’t overcome!

Keep your head up and don’t stop smiling!!