Guest Contributor: Caitlin Edwards
Today I want to talk about kindness, but not in the way
you’re thinking right now. I want to talk about being kind to yourself. This is
something I’ve struggled with for a long time.
I have 3 small children, and my body changed drastically. I
gained a lot of weight and struggled with my self-image. When you look in the
mirror, what do you think to yourself? A short time ago I thought mean things
about myself. I would call myself fat, chubby, ugly. It became my inner voice.
And I don’t know about you, but my inner voice becomes my outer voice over
time. I started saying these things out loud. Having an impressionable 6-year-old
daughter, this was bad. I finally realized that this was going to affect my
daughter in the way she looked and thought of her body. I did NOT want my daughter feeling and thinking that her
body was less than perfect. I wanted her to believe the things that I was
teaching her. That she was divinely made. That she was perfect the way God made
her. That no matter what, she is loved (yes, even by herself!). How could I
teach her those things when I didn’t example them myself?
I saw the need to change my way of thinking. It was
critical. To correct my way of thinking, I started small. Every time I looked
in the mirror, when I thought “ugh, I’m so fat.” I would stop myself and say in
my head “You’re beautiful the way you are.”. That started changing my inner
voice. I realized that I had housed in my body, 1 child. And then
again, I grew 2 children at once. Obviously, my body was going to change! Those
stretch marks became badges of honor, the extra pounds didn’t matter anymore
because I realized I had 3 perfect children that my body made!
So, my challenge to you is to love yourself for who you are.
If you have unkind thoughts about yourself, change them! You are perfect. You
were made for a purpose. Be kind to everyone, especially yourself!
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