SHUT up!?!?!?

I was at the gym, this one time and had this experience and I don't even want to write about it because it was so irritating and infuriating.

ANNNND I have six 11 year olds coming to my house in oh, 45 minutes...and I haven't put any makeup on or done my hair or vacuumed-- but frickin A I can't get it off my mind and so I better just bust it out so I can stop thinking about it.

Two things:
SHUT UP AND TAKE A COMPLIMENT!
And, ALLOW ME TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT MYSELF IN YOUR PRESENCE???
mmmmk?

SO it went like this--
I "noticed" in the mirror, that I was looking exceptionally "buff" today. Some water weight dropped apparently because my shoulder caps were a little more defined than the have been (Remember that time I was wigging over those 2 lbs?) I felt good about myself. I was working extremely hard on a high rep leg day--pouring sweat, feeling absolutely like an unstoppable mother and a million bucks. I see a lady and say "wow you look really good!"
She then goes on and on and on and ON about how she is so fat, she has gained all this weight, she would never do this or that or the other thing cuz she is too fat.

MMMMMk, all a sudden I feel like a fat a$$ when 10 minutes earlier I felt like a freaking fitness model-(haha ok, that may have been a stretch but I am adding drama for effect here) that belonged on the cover of FIT CHICK MOM MAGAZINE!!

What do I do from there? I of course, reassure her--tell her she looks good, she has had kids and millions of women would love to look like her that have never even had kids.

Again with her ranting and raving.

Man, I really wish I had had my ipod at that point. Sigh, I forgot it.

As I articulated my exact thoughts as I finished up the workout I thought it might be "slightly" inappropriate if I went over and told her she needed to shut her dang mouth and just say "thank you" when someone complimented her and that because she was being so friggin negative and down on her own body she made ME feel down on mine. (I know psychologists out there--no one can make you feel a certain way, you choose your feelings BUT--not in this scenario, ok?) I don't get it. Why do women, especially, do that to themselves?

We are definitely our own worst critic. I could tag blog after blog after blog of ridonkulas posts I have posted in the past of me just acting like an idiot about my own body. It's true, I could. We are so hard on ourselves. STOP DOING THAT TO YOURSELF AND THOSE YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH!! If you think YOUR issues only affect YOU I am more than happy to tell you that you are CRAY CRAY and you pawn your issues off to your husband (Sex life), your kids (how they feel about their own bodies), and the people who say something nice to you (but--in your defense, those people are obviously stupid and should know better than to compliment a person).

Since I have gotten to this positive body image advocate time frame in my life, and since I have become so happy with MYSELF and started to love MY body for it's assets, and have been more understanding of my flaws--I am a much happier person and a much nicer person. The way I feel about ME and the way you feel about YOU is reflected in many different aspects of your life.

I looked in the mirror when I was done getting ready for church on Sunday and I felt pretty. I know why I felt pretty too, it was because I feel pretty on the INSIDE. I feel like I am kind, honest, and that I am pursuing passions in my life that better those around me. That makes me pretty and it makes other people feel good about feeling pretty in my presence.

As I look back at old posts I don't think I have always been good at this--but I assure you that the new me is almost as happy with me as I am with those around me. And this new me wants YOU to feel comfortable in your skin so here is my plea, and me giving you permission--to feel like a total HOTTIE in your own body. Feel sexy. Feel like you have a bodacious booty, curves in all the right places, and like you are all around one bad a$$ chick--because you are. Work hard, eat well, sleep well, train like a freaking beast and at the end of the day look at yourself in that mirror and tell yourself just how proud of you, YOU are. That comes from within, and that confidence doesn't come naturally to A LOT of us....but have you heard that saying "fake it till you make it," I am a testimony of that--and I am almost there. Don't leave yourself behind or sell yourself short...cuz baby--YOU GOT THIS!!!!!!

ps. If someone says you look good, or have cute shoes, or that you are kind....remember this "SHUT THE HECK UP AND SAY THANK YOU WITH A SMILE!"

Keep going, don't quit--you're on your way and it DOES get easier.