Look In the Mirror and Love It

Source: tumblr.com via Aunna on Pinterest

You've seen the pins. I'm guilty of this myself. Every one of your mommy friends has a board filled with little gems like "Lose Your Mommy Gut" and "30 Minutes to Fabulous Abs" paired with all manner of pictures of women whose uteruses have never had a human being growing in them. Those "Thinspiration" photos are a load of bullcrap.

Well, I'm tired of it. Don't get me wrong. I'm all for being healthy for our kids. I try to eat right and exercise a few times a week because I know it's good for me and I want to be able to haul around Chubs and keep up with the ever-increasing speed of my oldest. I'm at a very good weight right now, but I'm still struggling with hypertension so I have to keep up all the healthiness.

Here's the thing, though. Pins like I mentioned, magazine articles, other women at the gym, and even stinkin' commercials can really get us down on ourselves. We see these Photoshopped-within-an-inch-of-their-lives models and wonder why we can't look like that. And then we get upset. And then we comfort eat, or yell at our kids, or sulk, or refuse to have sex with the lights on.

But there are things we don't even realize.

#1: Those models know exactly how to stand and at what angle. Pictures of them are never released without having every blemish and bulge removed. Most of them don't have kids, but instead have personal trainers and private chefs. Granted, there are the small percentage of freaks of nature like Heidi Klum and Miranda Kerr who get even more beautiful after having children, but whatya gonna do?

#2: You made a human! That's awesome! And if you nursed, that's awesome too! Your body is amazing. It knew exactly what that baby needed and provided for him/her without you even telling it anything. The stretch marks and not-so-perky boobs is your body's way of saying "Hey! Look what I can do!"

#3: When you're down on yourself and having a pity party, that's what's ugly. Not your muffin top. Not those red streaks criss-crossing your tummy. It's your attitude. I've met plenty of skinny girls who are so ugly inside. You are beautiful if your heart is beautiful.

So, can we all just stop? Can we take a long hard look at ourselves (naked in a full-length mirror) and really begin to love our bodies? This is a daily struggle for me. Every time I shower I stand in the mirror and suck in my gut or imagine not having stretch marks or think "Why are my boobs smaller than before I had kids?" But then I see my c-section scar and remember those two gorgeous kids in the next room. Or I look at my muscles on my arms and think how awesome it is that I can carry two bags, a toddler, and a couple of grocery sacks and not break a sweat.

So, here's my challenge, ladies. Look in the mirror and love it. Even if it's just one part. If you have nice collarbones, where an off the shoulder top. If you have a great booty, put on some tight jeans. And rock them.

Our bodies do amazing things for us. Let's show them a little gratitude and ourselves a little grace.

Thanks for stopping by!


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