More Gratitude ~ What I Like About Me

In keeping with the gratitude theme, I thought it would be timely to share a repost from The Write Curl Diary that's all about gratitude and appreciating how organically perfect we are in the midst of our diverse journeys and experiences.

We always make lists of ways we want to improve ourselves and bad habits we want to give up. When's the last time you made a list of all the things you like about yourself??? Sometimes we seek compliments or validation from others instead of just giving it to ourselves. I know I'm made of special stuff, and I don't need to sit around and wait for anyone to tell me that.

A few things I like about me:

1. I smile all the time. I smile because it makes me feel good and it makes others feel good. I smile so much that people automatically think something is wrong with me and show concern if I'm frowning. Smiling is a powerful way to influence people, and it comes so naturally to me.

2. I'm calm and laid back. I love the fact that I'm not an uptight person and MOST (certainly not all!) people I encounter feel very comfortable around me. I dig that. I've always made an effort to make people feel comfortable because growing up I was compensating for how UNcomfortable my mom usually made people feel. (I'll tell you all about that one day). I love that people confide in me and sense warmth and understanding in me.

3. I like my hair. I complain about a lot of my physical qualities. My skin, my stretch marks, my big feet, etc. Deep down, I'm very thankful for all these things because they do their job and represent what I've been through in my life...but yet I still complain :) I like my hair though. I think everyone should have something that they feel confident about, and that's my thing.

4. I like that I have a goody-goody side and a wild side. You can try to size me up by looking at me, but I'm not as innocent as I look. My wild side is super tame now compared to how I used to be because I'm all familied up and all. But I still have some party girl in me, and I hope that never goes away. To balance that out, I'm still a "good" girl at heart and this keeps me from taking things too far or being reckless. It's so important to forget your responsibilities and concerns occasionally and just get loose. Keeps me young. Keeps me sane.

5. I like that I can write. I'm not the best writer, but I'm my own best writer. Some paint, some sing, draw or write music. It's something that I love to do, is healthy for me, and seems to heal and touch other people. It's something I will continue to develop for the rest of my life. It's a gift that I am comfortable to share because there's no right or wrong to it because it's just part of me.

Quotes and Affirmations about Self-Love:

"Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else." ~Judy Garland

"I think of life itself now as a wonderful play that I've written for myself, and so my purpose is to have the utmost fun playing my part." ~Shirley MacLaine

"If God had wanted me otherwise, He would have created me otherwise." ~Johann von Goethe

"Be what you are. This is the first step toward becoming better than you are." ~Julius Charles Hare

Call out a few things you like about yourself and be as complimentary as possible. There's nothing wrong with that! You should be your own biggest fan! Share any quotes or affirmations that remind you to love yourself just as you are. We all need to hear it!