Well, hello there folks!
A very good Monday morning to you!
I sincerely hope that those of you on the East Coast that are reading this were able to stay dry amongst all of the rain that we got these past 2 days.
I feel like I could’ve captained a boat down the streets because of all the water there was!
And welcome to official blog post #233!
Well, time for this week’s words!
Cuddle up and get those eyes ready to read.
We are all a work in progress.
It’s the truth.
No one is perfect.
As the Hannah Montana song goes, “Nobody’s perfect, I gotta work it, again and again til’ I get it right.”
And I’m tired of the social media images trying to tell us that we need to be 100% every day, every minute, every second.
I call bullshit.
Because that ain’t realistic.
Like MMMBYEEE.
And it’s what gets us each in trouble because we forget how to be human, vulnerable, and honest with ourselves.
We forget to put ourselves first.
Instead, we constantly think about which filter on the social media app will make us like as perfect as possible to the world to get that extra like.
Will showing some extra skin bring another 100 followers to make me more popular?
When was the last time you scrolled on social media and compared yourself to someone else’s pictures of perfection?
When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and let the negative talk take over?
When was the last time you had thoughts of not being perfect enough?
If you’re like me, you’ve answered “yes” to all of these questions at some point in life.
And it’s very possible that you might have answered “yes” to all of these questions as recently as just moments ago…social media is all around us.
It’s time to take charge.
It’s time to stop the negative talk.
It’s time to start being honest with ourselves.
It’s time to enjoy another cup of self-love.
What exactly is self-love?
The dictionary defines it as:
-(Noun)-regard for one’s own well-being and happiness (chiefly considered as a desirable rather than narcissistic characteristic).
And this is only just a little taste of practices that can help us embrace self-love.
Find your favorites and practice them daily.
Here are just a few of my favorites to get the creative juices in your brain thinking.
- Watching something every night that makes me laugh.
- Eating ice cream straight from the carton.
- Turning the lights off in my bedroom and meditating and saying prayers before officially turning in for the night.
- Writing 8 affirmations in my journal everyday when I wake up.
- Cuddling up with a blanket.
- Turning my phone on DND to limit the buzzing that I hear constantly.
- Sitting down at the piano bench to play some tunes.
- Lighting a candle to fill the house with a relaxing scent.
- Working out to feel good about the body and strength it has.
- Watching a Disney movie.
- Putting on your favorite song and shouting out the lyrics.
- Shopping to find a new outfit that rocks your beautiful body.
Make it a ritual with yourself.
And share your rituals with those around you.
In a world that will continue to be draining, exhausting, and defeating at times, it is even more important than ever to be honest with ourselves, open our hearts, and be vulnerable with our souls as to what we need.
Don’t sell yourself short.
You are enough.
We could all use another cup of self-love.
Have another cup.
Really.
You deserve it.
We all do.
Sprinkle sunshine always,
JP!
Mr. Sunshine Smiles 