Spring Cleaning

Sunday I started on a clean state. I have set a personal goal to stop being so mentally mean and self defeating. It's not that I've been super depressed lately. I haven't. But I have noticed that I am consistently less positive in my thoughts and I am finding it to be a downer. A noticeable downer is enough inspiration for me to realize this habit needs to go! I may have a more common tendency than others, but I think others have this problem in one way or another -- I easily fall back into a slump of thinking negatively about me. And for me, that means negative thoughts in regards to my body especially.

I started this "cleaning the slate" ritual by spending some time writing a list of all the things I know about my body. Not necessarily things I like, but truths I've learned. I feel hokey saying I love my body. But saying stuff I know about it seems much less hokey to me. And I think I've learned quite a bit over the years on this front. I just have to REMEMBER what I know and use it! :) For anyone else who may have a hard time with this, or just to share these truth nuggets, I share my list with you all:

1) the more I love my body, the more I am in tune with my body and its needs. The more I berate it, the more out of tune I am.

2) proper exercise makes me feel alive & refreshed and helps give me perspective.

3) proper eating makes me feel confident, smart, capable and healthy.

4) I am not valued by a number.

5) Each today I treat my body well makes it more likely I will treat it well again tomorrow.

6) My perception is not always reality. Okay, my perception is not even USUALLY reality.

7) Making to-do lists helps me do better things for my body & mind during my off-time, when I may otherwise be unproductive and mindlessly waste time and eat junk food.

8) eating regularly is always the way to go.

9) over-exercising is not a weight-loss solution. Moderate, regular exercise is.

10) I don't have to eat to please anyone.

11) If I feel depressed or negative about my body or other things, the best things to do are: clean, exercise, give service to someone else, or just get out and do something.