How Pregnancy Helped Me Make an Instant Resolution
It’s that time of year again, when everyone has New Year’s resolutions on their minds. We see numerous reminders at our local gyms, on the news, in magazines and circulating on Pinterest. My resolution for the new year came to me at my 20-week ultrasound, when my husband and I learned that we were having a little girl. (It’s quite a girl baby boom here at Fit Bottomed Mamas lately! So fun!)
Self talk is something that we all do; sometimes it’s positive and sometimes it’s not. But it’s something that we need to be more aware of. Ever since I learned that I was growing a pretty little princess, I realized I need to focus more on my self talk and bringing more positivity to it. I’ve mentioned my weight struggles here many times, I’ve talked about my journey, I’ve even vaguely touched on self talk. Where do we even learn to talk down to ourselves? Is it a learned trait? A product of our environment? Media and Hollywood get criticized quite a bit for their expectations of women in the public eye, and we often hear about celebrities who feel the pressure to be “perfect.” Remember the outrage at Kim Kardashian’s famous front-page booty pose? Every comment and storyline was passing judgement. Were we judging her for making this a public shot or were we judging her out of jealousy? The truth is, we all wish to be something other than what we are. Why? I’m not sure, but what I do know is that the struggle doesn’t need to exist if we start off appreciating ourselves. Then, only then, can we pass it on.
Image is a tough thing to talk about. I cannot imagine having a conversation with our daughter about looks and body image. What I do know is that I want her to love herself for who she is, and I feel that starts with me. I am excited about having a girl. My mom and I have so much fun and have cute little sayings between us that I cannot wait to pass on. I am also terrified because of the pressure that is put on women today, among a few other things. So my 20-week screenshot sparked my New Year’s Resolution that started a little early: to focus on the positives about my body and allow that to carry me forward in my journey of a continued healthy lifestyle. If positivity can pass on as easily as negativity, I think we may be onto something here. I want to embrace myself, and I want my daughter to see the beauty in herself, whoever she may be. If she has curves, may she love them. I know there will be times I may struggle with this, especially post-baby weight-loss. I am lucky to have the support system I do that I can lean on them to carry me through the process and remind me of my strengths when I may forget.
Did you make a resolution this year? How are you making it stick? —Jennifer