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Thursday, March 28, 2024
<p>"<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/illuminated_photography/3405640846/in/photolist-6bWNnC-7H81QJ-5kzJhY-ATGZn-aHNna-8RZqU7-3oqsv-mktyNc-fsSikM-dbJkPv-dTamxd-aSS71-PvoWo-7F78Le-5CfiY-fVoiNX-m5fJi-4vZd13-a814b6-9M5KrF-5Cfi3-nzL9WT-8TKc6h-4eCSDb-nXp5rB-8SN4y-5iJtMy-2TLPRC-7AsYtq-21sfnd-ATGVZ-e5RGNV-584vyA-5Cfjc-32Guof-5Cfi9-5Cfj4-7M9nDc-5sVr4g-aurNiU-5CfhZ-5Cfit-4vdv3U-4voZpq-ck58Wo-biFsjt-9oW99M-aUTHN-4Y6fSc-2TZ9dA" target="_blank">You Are Beautiful</a>" by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/illuminated_photography/" target="_blank">Jenna</a>, used under CC BY 2.0</p>

"You Are Beautiful" by Jenna, used under CC BY 2.0

You are beautiful. Have you ever looked into the mirror and told yourself that? I am beautiful. Three very simple words that encompass so much. Beauty is not just someone’s outward appearance, it is their spirit. It is who they are on the inside. I am a firm believer in that beauty shines from the inside out. I see so many people, men and women alike, who stare at themselves in the mirror with disdain. Do they not see how amazing they are? The human body is such an amazing thing; why not glorify it as such? We may not all have six pack abs, but we all have THE one and only human body to work with. 

But how do you glorify your body in a way that helps you gain confidence in your appearance? I think this starts with your spirits or what is happening on the inside where no one else can see. Tell yourself that you are an incredible person with so much potential and find your own self-worth. Find spirituality. Find purpose. Maybe even do yoga! Your spirit is so important to becoming a confident individual who is comfortable with and proud of whom they are; but repairing your spirit is a very intimate task that only YOU can step up to the plate and accomplish. 

You can also glorify your body by treating it as though it were a holy place. This can be accomplished through eating and exercising. Do not starve your body, feed it. However, you need to feed it in the right way. Yeah, McDonalds tastes great for a few minutes, but it eventually starts to weigh you down both mentally and physically. While I could get into how a diet chuck full of processed food is slowly killing you for hours, I can just end this mini-rant early by suggesting that you start incorporating unprocessed foods into your diet. A diet is not supposed to be the dreaded four letter word that means to starve oneself. Rather, it is a lifestyle change or a way of living. Since food is crucial for survival, so is the right diet or manner of eating. Once you start eating the right nutrients, you will notice how much more energy you have. What you eat can also lead to more confidence and a happier life!

Exercise is also extremely important for obvious reasons. However, it should not be done solely to fit into that itsy bitsy polka dot bikini. It should be done to make your body feel alive, to uplift yourself! Exercise is a fantastic way to release pent up stress and worries. It is as simple as tying on a pair of sneakers and taking a fast-paced walk. Everyone has their small beginnings, so do not be discouraged that you cannot run a mile without stopping. Be encouraged by the realistic goals you begin making and attaining for your own personal gratification. 

If you want to be proud of what you see in the mirror, you must be realistic in knowing that getting a shredded bod will not happen overnight. But it starts with you and it can start today. The only thing that is keeping you from attaining the “impossible” is you. Instead of letting your mind limit you, let it motivate you. Start small to gain big results. Start with the person staring back at you in the mirror. Start with a simple, “You are beautiful”.

"You Are Beautiful" by Jenna, used under CC BY 2.0

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