Monday, September 12, 2016

Invaluable

Do you ever look at yourself in the mirror after stepping out of the shower…you’re drying off, putting on your body lotion and you can’t help but glance up at yourself. And maybe you notice that little extra padding over your belly that wasn’t there years ago or that you wish wasn’t there. Or maybe you’ve been trying to slim down your legs and that quick glance in the mirror is a reminder that you’ve still got work to do. You might not care what anyone else thinks, you might just wish your jeans fit a little bit better. There are things about your body you would like to change - maybe just minor tweaks or maybe you know you’ve got some habits to change.

Regardless of what your “thing” is, I’m pretty sure that all of us have the tendency to catch that quick, innocent glance at ourselves and we’re reminded…there’s work to do here. And I caught myself this morning (because I have this one spot on my left hip that drives me crazy!) and I thought…WHY? Why do we nit pick ourselves like this? As if our value will increase if we can change something about our body. It doesn’t matter if that thought lingered in your mind for 5 seconds or 5 minutes, it was still a thought in your mind. 

I tossed this idea around with my bestie and I wish I was writing you this post with a crystal clear answer for how to stop this negative chatter that goes on in your mind. But I’m not. What I am here to tell you is…Me Too! You’re not alone. I believe this is a “female condition” that, admit it or not, almost all of us have. We have this thought in our mind that if somehow we can “improve” something on the outside it will make us more valuable…that somehow we will be worth more to this world if we change something about our looks. 

We won’t. We will never have more or less value than we have in this moment. If you gain 50lbs or lose 50lbs your value will not increase or decrease. 

I’ve come along way. There were many years in my life that thoughts like this literally consumed me. And when I say consumed I mean I lived my life around what needed to happen to get my body to look “just so.” Healing this part of ourselves takes a lot of work, a great deal of self-awareness (and a few really amazing friends - because let’s face it, it’s nice to have people who can relate and call you out at the same time), to change the chatter that goes on inside our minds. What used to occupy my mind for hours on end is now about 5 seconds when my truth kicks in and reminds me…”You are already invaluable to God and nothing else matters.” 

YOU are invaluable to God and what anyone else thinks or says is completely irrelevant. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt our feelings, but it is NOT the truth of who you are. The only way I know to quiet that negative voice in my head is to fill it with what God says about me. And it helps…I’ve come a long way, baby. And if I can do it, you can do it too. It takes intention and it takes time. It’s a journey.


You are…INVALUABLE. (repeat that)

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