Love Yourself Unconditionally

At this time of year, we're inundated with messages to lose weight, get fit and be a "better, smaller, more attractive" version of ourselves. The corporate world capitalizes on our once-again new-year feelings of not measuring up. We're not not light enough. Or healthy enough. Or strong enough.

I say, enough with not being enough!

Yes, I'm all for getting fit. And eating right. Even for being healthy. But I refuse to allow someone elses concept of what I should look like interfere with how I feel about myself.

I refuse to wait until I get down to a certain size, fitness level or the scale tells me I'm the weight I want to be before I accept myself.

I refuse to be consumerized into believing that I have to purchase my food in pre-packaged rations in order to eat properly.

I refuse to believe that I have to purchase some fitness guru's turbo charged boot camp routine in order to whip me into shape.

I refuse to buy into the idea that I have to part with my hard earned money on a weekly basis to join others who have bought into a system that pays a celebrity truckloads of money to tell me that "I can do it because they did it first."

I love myself just as I am.

Yes, on some days I fall into the trap of complaining, even just quietly to myself, that I've gained a pound or two. Or that the chocolates I treated myself to the week before found their way to my thighs and hips. But as soon as I hear myself complaining, I turn it around.

Rather than complain, I simply observe. Without judgment. Then I set an intention: I intend to love myself. No matter what.

We are not here to be a version of ourselves that is approved by others. A version of ourselves that is dictated by the corporate world. A version of ourselves that must conform to so-called norms.

No.

We're here for a much grander purpose than that. And each of us is walking our own path as a result of that purpose. In various sizes. At various weights. In a delightfully endless variety of "packaging."

Eat well, or not. Exercise daily, or not. Feel better for it, or not. Whatever the choices you make, always remember to love yourself. UNCONDITIONALLY!