The other day, I went to the gym and found myself staring at my reflection in the mirror after a good arm workout. In college, I had been the starting pitcher for my softball team, and in the months after my senior season, I was too heartbroken to throw. To be completely honest, it’s probably been six months since I’ve even picked up a softball.
Working out is different now. I don’t workout for games; I workout for myself. But it was strange to see my reflection in the mirror and realize that my body looks different, that my arms aren’t as visibly strong as they used to be.
It made me start to doubt who I was as a person.
It made me see all my flaws and take note of them.
But then as I stretched and felt my newly-sore shoulder muscles tense from their workout I realized something—I was a work in progress.
No, I wasn’t where I used to be, even a few months ago. And no, I wasn’t even the same person as I was a few months back. But there were still things to love about myself. I was still strong, still powerful, even if I was different.
See, I think that’s what self-love is all about. It’s not about looking back or looking around, it’s not about comparisons or focusing on negativity, and it’s not about seeing yourself as too perfect that you’re untouchable.
Self-love is about seeing yourself in progress. It’s about embracing who you are and how far you’ve come, while always pushing forward into who you can be.
To read the full, original article on self-love, click HERE.