some raw honestly for your Monday morning

I was recently looking at a photo of myself, and (raw honesty alert), the first thing I noticed is

I have a double chin.

Which is true. The way I happened to be looking gave me a double chin for the picture. But the way I talked to myself about it wasn't healthy. I like my hair in this picture, and my outfit, and the lighting, and my skin, but I was focusing on the one part of this picture that isn't perfect: my double chin. Even the thinnest of people have double chins occasionally, and I shouldn't berate myself about it.


All too often I use excuses to be unkind to my body. I can't work out because I've already had a 12-hour day and I'm exhausted. I need to eat dessert upon dessert because it's a holiday. I have to wake up early to get ________ done.


This month, I want to treat myself better. I want to develop a love of myself, and show my body that I respect it.

Like all love, I'll show it best through actions, not words. Here are some actions I plan to do this month to be good to my body:

• Sleep in more. The extra hour to get things done in the morning isn't worth it.
• Exercise more often. By moving my body, the stress goes down, the positive thoughts go up, and I feel better.
• Own my eating. When I do decide to eat sugar, I'll do it because I'm treating myself, not because it's an excuse to cure low energy or high stress.
• Speak well of myself to myself. When I think something negative about myself, replace it with three positive thoughts.
• Use scripture reading and prayer as a time to meditate, evaluate, and encourage self love.

Let this February be a month of being kind to ourselves and showing respect to our bodies!

Do you make monthly goals?

What do you do to be kind to yourself?

*This post was partly inspired by my monthly goals (February being to love Sam and myself better), and partly by this amazing post yesterday.