Simple Ways to Love Yourself More

Love Yourself!

“Bathing suit season is approaching!” I announced to the mirror, eyeing my thighs with disgust. Glaring at myself, I crossed my arms and frowned. I thought I’d be slimmer by now. Since Thanksgiving I have followed my doctor’s instructions regarding nutrition. I also worked out at the gym, trying to keep up with a class full of women half my age. My husband is supportive, so he ate the same foods I ate. He lost 35 pounds. Just. Like. That. Each morning, he flexes muscles in front of the mirror. Each morning he crows from the scale, “another pound gone.” He even had the audacity to buy jeans two sizes smaller! I lost five pounds, then gained them back, then lost them again, then… you get the picture. I was frustrated and jealous of my husband’s success. Yes, I know the male metabolism is faster, but his success was making it hard for me to love myself.

When I started attending a metaphysical class called “Mastering Your Consciousness,” something mysterious happened. We were asked to make a list of our top 10 goals, and to daily visualize having achieved those goals. I listed “losing weight” near the top. Other homework assignments included concentration exercises, meditation exercises, reading metaphysical books and writing papers on topics like, meditation, dream interpretation, the Law of Attraction, creative visualization, positive affirmations an intuition.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• When you focus on something, like extra weight, that is what you will have
• Being attached to the outcome of a goal can block it from manifesting
• Our thoughts create our realities
• It’s essential to unconditionally love and accept everything about ourselves thereby becoming more capable of loving and accepting others
• How to use my dreams to reach my goals for self-improvement

During daily meditation, I decided to put some of this into practice. I proclaimed to the universe and to myself “I love my extra weight. I accept everything about myself, including the extra weight and I love myself just the way I am. I won’t be growling at the mirror. I won’t berate myself for not losing weight!”

I placed my hand on my thighs, trying not to feel silly. I told my thighs “I love you.” I thanked them for being healthy, for being mine, for sticking by me all this time and for getting me where I need to be. I reminded my chubby thighs about the lovable puppies, kittens, and babies that rested comfortably in my lap due to extra cushioning. I told them how grateful I am to them for keeping me warm when it’s cold, and thanked them for doing a great job. I repeated this for each part of my body I viewed as unacceptable.

Then I went grocery shopping.

That’s where it all became amazing. Here is what happened following that meditation (in chronological order):

1. At the grocery store, a young woman interrupted my reading of an energy-bar label to ask a question about dieting. We talked awhile and she asked, “Do you mind if I ask how much weight you want to lose?” I told her and she said, “You are fine just the way you are.”

2. I continued to eat as before—as my doctor recommended because I feel better—and, at least I wasn’t gaining weight. I exercised as my doctor recommend (but less frantically). I continued the daily love meditation.

3. Two days later, at the metaphysical school, one of the students told me, “Wow, you sure lost weight.” I was surprised and then I remembered and explained the love meditation. He said, “Oh, so you lost the weight of the burden.” That’s why you look so much lighter.

4. The next evening, my husband offered to pay for any plastic surgery I wanted, so “you would be happier with yourself,” he explained. To his amazement, I declined and explained about the love meditation and my decision to love myself just the way I am. He said, “I’ve been telling you all along, I love you just the way you are!”

5. The next day, I had my yearly medical checkup. I dread those because they weigh you. The doctor told me that I had lost weight and that I should keep up the good work.

6. Three days later we attended a party and a friend told my husband, “Nora has lost so much weight. She even looks younger.”

7. Yesterday I decided I was tired of wearing so much black. You know, black is slimming. I wanted to wear brown pants instead. I have one pair hanging in a closet full of at least four different sizes. The last time I tried to wear this pair of brown pants I cried. I said to myself, this time I won’t cry because I love myself just the way I am.

To my surprise, I could zip them up. In fact, they fit loosely.

Whether I lose the pounds, slim down those thighs or not, I am going to keep sending the love and light to myself and others and continue to accept and love everything about myself just the way I am.