It’s not often enough anymore that we look in the mirror and approve, is it? It’s true. We bear lots of battle scars. Our tummies might not be as flat, our eyes might have bags under them and let’s not forget the wrinkles forming between our eyebrows from all the mommy death stares. Sometimes, we even just sit there and mourn the loss of the girls we once were. But what we seem to not realize is that those girls are still very much there.  It all comes down to your perspective.

But mama, look in the mirror. Don’t look for flaws. For just a minute, look at how beautiful you are. Pick a feature or two that you like and dwell on them a bit today. You are so pretty mama! Not just inside (though you ARE incredibly gorgeous inside) but outside too! It’s so much easier to notice things you don’t like. But in the avalanche of our lives, we forget to remember the things we do like. Do you have high cheekbones? Nice eyebrows? Full lips? Strong nails? Bouncy hair? Long legs? There’s lots that you have! I don’t know why we’ve gotten into the mindset of being uncomfortable with noticing what we like about our bodies. We feel like we’re being arrogant in acknowledging that we have nice eyes but totally accept bashing our thighs. As Julia Roberts says in Pretty Woman, “the bad stuff is easier to believe.” But just like all good and useful things, we need to practice. It’ll feel weird. Even wrong. But that’s the faulty unconscious belief that our society has led us to develop over the years. I’m not saying to stand there in front of the mirror and serenade yourself for an hour (but like, if you’re up for that, you should so do it!). Just look in the mirror and realize that you are beautiful. For real! Don’t think that this is some kind of fake mantra that you repeat till you transform into it. I’m saying you’re already there. You are already VERY beautiful.

Now as you’re even reading this, your mind is telling you that you’re overweight or unfit or wrinkly or whatever. Tell that inner critic to cool it for a while. While losing a few pounds might be a goal of yours, you also have a great skin tone or piercing eyes or a great butt. So let’s assume there’s a daily quota of time that is allotted to how much you can think of your appearance. If you’re like me, and even if you just got out of bed, you’ve probably already used up almost all your quota on focusing on physical features you can improve. Now for the remainder of the day, force yourself to only focus on things you like about your body. Gradually, they’ll come to your attention more often – and contrary to what your mind will have you believe, that isn’t arrogance or conceit. You really, truly are beautiful. That is the reality that you will eventually realize. So why waste time hurting your own feelings by not giving yourself that affirmation?

Repeat it. Believe it. I am beautiful. I am beautiful. You ARE beautiful.