Thank you all for the awesome support and kind words when I made our huge announcement last week. All of the facebook likes for Skill of Strength, your blog comments, tweets and emails made me smile so much and so big. It’s awesome to know that we’ll be open in no time and helping people make healthier decisions one day/training session/meal at a time. Obviously, I’ll talk about our company progress and news on my blog, but if you want to stay even more up to date on things please sign up for our newsletter list!
Also, this is the last reminder to enter my giveaway for Sparkly Soul Headbands!
And now onto today’s topic(s)…
Happiness and unconditional love!
In high school I was confident and happy for the most part. College started and I wasn’t so sure about myself. I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life, questioned a lot of my decisions and certainly didn’t love myself unconditionally. Don’t get me wrong, there were plenty of good times in college too, but looking back I see it as a time of insecurity and growth (which I needed!). I loved my early twenties and despite making some stupid decisions, I remind myself that I should look at those ‘mistakes’ as learning experiences, not regrets. Everything I’ve done has gotten me to where I am today.
Mentally, I think I’m in the best place I have ever been. Am I perfect? Heck no. Do I have moments where I think I stink at everything? Heck yes. (Ask my husband…I still have breakdowns when I think I’m bad at being a mom, not a great wife, daughter or friend, and terrible at my job.) But fortunately, I can truthfully say I’m happy with where I am at, confident in my own skin (and jeans), and even more importantly, excited about where I am headed now that I know what I want, both personally and professionally.
We always talk about unconditional love as it relates to family, especially when it comes to loving our children and our spouse. But what about when it comes to loving ourselves? Usually, it’s not so easy to see how important it is to practice this type of love.
I’m great about loving myself in some ways, but unconditionally? That’s hard. I mess up too and sometimes it’s hard to love myself when I mess up. One thing I am good at is making time for fitness in my life. Fortunately, I experience physical and mental benefits just from carving out that time to myself. I’m not always so great at spending the time or money to give myself unconditional love in other ways. A few weekends ago I went away for a night with some friends. We got massages and had a nice dinner. It reminded me that it’s important to treat myself once in awhile instead of always feeling like it’s not worth taking the time or spending the money to do so. Essentially, when I do that I am saying I’m not worth it. But I am. And you are too.
So buy that gym membership, save up for that nice pair of jeans, give yourself a night off from your responsibilities, sleep in on a Saturday or take that nap with your baby. Do whatever it is you need to do to show yourself unconditional love. Equally as important, if you make a bad decision, stop beating yourself up and try to learn from it. Love yourself, mistakes and all. (Yes, easier said than done.)
Believe me, it’s a lot easier to remember to love this innocent little bugger unconditionally than it is to love myself the same way.
Head on over to read more about Love and Happiness on the Life Well Lived site AND enter to win a Kindle Fire!
How do you practice self-acceptance and find unconditional love for yourself? How does practicing love first help you attract more love and happiness in your life?
This made me smile from ear to ear!
“if you make a bad decision, stop beating yourself up and try to learn from it. Love yourself, mistakes and all.”
AMEN!!!!
It makes me smile ear to ear as well…now I need to practice what I preach. Darn it. 😉
Great post!!! I definitely think I (finally) in a good place with my relationship with myself, but it took until I was almost 30 to get there. Unconditional love is tough, even with husbands (?!?!) but I think if I can love my son unconditionally, I also need to be able model self-love as he grows up… Does that make sense? Anyway, love the post!!!
Hi Laura – I’m 31 and I am not even there all the time yet. I think some people go through their entire life without even getting there. HAHA…yes I think it’s hard to love anyone unconditionally and you’re so right…it’s important to model loving yourself (and your hubby!) that way too. 🙂
Super post. This is definitely something that I am guilty of too. It’s perspective that I think we all need and it’s hard to remember sometimes, particularly after starting a family and having kids. It’s hard not to feel selfish but I remind myself that taking time to take care of myself makes me happier and ultimately makes me a better mother.
Thank you! I think we’re all guilty of it and I definitely think it’s even harder once you’re a mom to realize that you have to love and respect yourself (and take some time doing something that makes you happy!) in order to be a better mom.
I love this post! Such a great message and so important for us to do. take time. For ourselves, not just everyone around us. I am so glad you are happy and confident…even if you have a bad day here and there. We all do, right? That makes us human 🙂
Bad days and bad weeks happen!!! 😉
This is a beautiful post! I love where you are in your relationship with yourself. I have to say, I’m right in a similar relationship zone with myself – though, the unconditional part could use some work. This is an awesome reminder to always dedicate time to YOU even if it means saying “no” to obligations here and there. Ultimately, you are the most important person in your own life, right? And no, I don’t think that’s selfish to say (though if you asked me that a couple of years ago, I’d say it was a selfish statement, for sure). Great post!
Thank you, Jess. Believe me, the unconditional part could use some work on my end too. I have been beating myself up about a few things lately and it needs to stop. It’s so much easier to love other people and let them love you back if you love yourself! 🙂