It was just one of those days where nothing seemed right. I don't like feeling like this and when I do I always try to analyze what it is exactly that makes me feel like this.
So then I look outside and its the most beautiful day out and I realize just how lucky I am to be able to look outside! Or even for the fact that I woke up this morning is a bonus and shouldn't be taken for granted. One never knows what tomorrow might bring so its best to appreciate every single minute of the day...whether good or bad...something in my life that I think is not so great might be a life that someone else would trade me for in a minute.
When I began to stop staring at myself in the mirror, and began to expand my peripheral vision to include the blessings around me, I see how lucky I really am. I have a lot of love and opportunity all around me...I have this blog and wonderful new friends that I enjoy and cherish and do not take lightly. Most of us will probably never meet....but for me its not the face to face meeting that seals our friendship...it was there from the beginning.If you're stuck in a cycle of giving yourself a hard time for your perceived shortcomings, you can learn to love your strength, your ability to love, your beautiful eyes, or any other aspects of your physical self that you can appreciate.
Appreciate ever moment as it comes...even if you’re doing something you’d rather not be. By living in the moment, you only think about what’s going on right now, not what you’ll be doing in 10 minutes or what needs to get done by 5:00. By living in the moment, you get to experience life as it happens … not miss it while you’re worrying about what else needs to get done.
But best of all, it can lead you towards the things that really count in life: self-acceptance, the confidence to live out loud and be happy, and eventually, to own yourself as the wonderful, imperfect you who is perfect after all--just as you are.
You're so very right, and it takes deliberate effort to change your thoughts to something positive. But I believe you can train your mind to almost anything.
ReplyDeleteGood post, and good luck with the job search!
So very, very true. Beautiful, insightful post!! I have been in this same place so many times over the last 18 mos. Many, many times I have had to stop & tell myself "you are blessed". So I take a deep breath & move forward even in the chaos. I hope the job search is successful. I absolutely hate coming to the one I have now also so I completely understand. Have a fabulously beautiful day!!
ReplyDelete~~blessed be...
Every line,wrinkle or flaw we have is a reminder of our journey in life. Wear it proudly as it shows you have lived.
ReplyDeleteI wish you the very best in your job hunting.
What a beautiful post. Java, you are a model in more ways than one. Today you are modelling for us the kind of self-acceptance and confidence that we all need.
ReplyDeleteI read once that "courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the ability to act even in the midst of fear." I think that maybe that applies to self-acceptance too. It's not the absence of self-criticism but the ability to love ourselves even when we realize that we are not perfect.
Love your post today!
I was forced to give up on trying to be perfect a long time ago! At least with my appearance. I still struggle with it in my parenting.
ReplyDeleteI'm so mad! I just wrote you this long sappy comment and firefox closed and deleted it! ARGH
ReplyDeleteThank you for this lovely post. It was perfect timing! I was having one of those days where I was beating myself up about stuff too and the "remind yourself that it's okay not to be perfect" was just what I needed!
ReplyDeleteyes,yes,yes, who is perfect and do we want to be perfect for fear we will fall. learning to love self, while admitting it's ok to work on an individual issue. mine is my wait. when down, look and think what we have and not concentrate on what we don't. have a good day. rose
ReplyDeleteThanks for the positive boost.
ReplyDeleteAnd that is what I call shifting your reality. Changing out your lens. Some days it is easy and other days it is harder. Sometimes we just have to stop in our tracks and change direction. Again ~ sounds easy. I think that maybe it gets easier the more times you do it.
ReplyDeleteThanx for the great reminder! At age 55, I am frustrated with barely keeping my looks presentable, let alone beautiful! Takes a lot of work and I don't always want to do the work. So I'm trying to learn that some days can be plain days & just accept me as I am....at least for that day! Ha!
ReplyDeleteGreat post Java - I think it is often when we strive for perfection and of course fail that we then give up entirely on the whole venture, whatever it may be. Achievable goals are what we all need and thank you for reminding me to remind myself of all I have to be happy about in life
ReplyDeleteI know everything you say is correct....but I still sometimes fall into the trap of "hating myself" for being much less then I wanted to be.
ReplyDeleteI have still so much self improvement I want to take care of.
Physically and spiritually.
but I'll try and be a little less hard on myself.
You have a wonderful perspective. Thanks for sharing it.
ReplyDeleteI have a little something for you at my blog. Come by.
xoRobyn
*Big Smile*
ReplyDeleteThis is beautiful...it speaks to me! As a wedding planner I was consumed with perfect for so long...now some of my best days include bed head and mascara and sunshine. I would love to link this in a Tickled Pink post (email me if you are interested: holly504main@yahoo.com)
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming by the other day. I am a new follower here...I can tell, I am going to like it!
Holly
504 Main
Wonderful thoughts, indeed, Java! Thank you so much for sharing them!
ReplyDeleteWhat I think is very interesting is the fact how there are likely many of us who look at your pics and think, "I would like to look as 'imperfect' as her..." BUT it just goes to show that few, even those who many think look perfect, are ever satisfied with themselves. There's always something that we feel we can improve upon... And, that's not always a bad thing. It can drive people to be the best they can be, but when we don't ever allow ourselves to be happy... that's when there's a problem.
Great post! :-)
Coming to you from Friday Follow 40 and Over.
ReplyDeleteNow I am your newest follower. I just wrote about self image today and reading this helped me to know that I am not alone...
Happily following, hope you will follow me too.
http://logicandimagination.blogspot.com
I came over from Holly's placve (504 Main) and read about you in her Tickled Pink post and had to stop by. I love this post. I definitely need to learn to love myself and let go of my imperfections. I just don't really know HOW. But I really enjoyed reading this and I'm about to be your newest follower. Wonderful post!
ReplyDelete