New Year’s Day always brings on a slew of emotions. For many of us, it is the start of new resolutions. We get bombarded with emails, commercials, and Instagram ads that encourage us to get a gym membership, buy that detox tea, and do what we need to do to have a new year, a new body, and a new you.
New Year, New You?
Sure, it is a new year but does it really have to be a new you? Don’t get me wrong. I am all for getting healthy, starting new habits, working out, and eating right. What I am against is making people feel like they need to change their bodies in order to feel good. With all the pressure that comes from all different angles, it is important to stay body positive.
The Older I Get
I feel like the older I get, the more I accept my body. Looking back on pictures of me in high school, I clearly remember feeling “fat.” I look at those pictures now and laugh. I definitely was not fat. Yet, I look at my elementary school pictures and I am “chubby” (to say it nicely) and I was so happy and confident back then. Now, after 2 kids, my body is different. Sometimes it is hard for me to even remember what it looked like before. I remember after my marriage ended I thought “OMG! This means someone else is going to see me naked one day.” Pure panic. Then I realized, WHO CARES? My body has been through 2 kids, 2 miscarriages, diets, late-night pizzas, forget-to-eat days, the lowest days, and the best days of my life. I owe my body a lot.
Could it be better? Duh. Could I treat it with more love on certain days? Sure. No matter where you are on your body journey, don’t forget to stop and appreciate it today. It took you this far. Do your daily exercise. Eat your veggies. Look in the mirror, and even on the hard days, love the skin you’re in. I hope this New Year, one of your resolutions is to show yourself some love. Not to change anything or do anything, just to stop and feel blessed for all the imperfections that make you imperfectly perfect.
Cheers to a NEW YEAR and the ever-evolving YOU!
