Love Who is Staring Right Back At You!

One of my struggles these past few years is that I am not totally comfortable with who I see looking back at me. I have been struggling with my weight for some time now and although I was once very cofident when I was gaining weight, I began letting outside influences tell me I shouldn't be.
When I was up for a promotion and began seeing people get chosen over me four times in a row I decided to vent my frustration out to a loved one. What came to question wasn't my work ethic but how I look. I was literally told that I should consider losing some weight. I asked what they meant by that statement and they began telling me how a company wants to project a image and it could be that I don't fit the mold. Can I tell you that, that idea did nothing to help me? If anything I began eating more!
I ignored that superficial idea that in other words my "girth" is what was holding me back and I just worked harder for what I wanted. Eventually I got the promotion and I also got recognition for other things I accomplished while still maintaining the weight I was and still currently at. I won't deny that I could be a little more on the healthier side of things. Everyone in this world could stand to drop a few pounds but that is for you to decide and shouldn't play a factor in anyone's success. It's like saying the most desirable people should have everything and that's not fair.
I think it is truly important to just be comfortable in your own skin. Be so comfortable that it makes other people cringe. You have to radiate confidence and if anyone makes any lopsided comments like the one said to me, prove them wrong. Look at many of the successful women out there now who face image troubles with the most famous one being Oprah! When she decided to take control of her health she definitely did it when it was suitable for her, so how you look should never define anyone's success unless you clearly want to be a model. If you want to be successful in other ways first be comfortable with who you are as a individual, love and embrace who you see everyday.
Every morning when I am practicing my self-care, I try to repeat affirmations. Affirmations really help drill in positive thoughts and it's a great way to began your day. I tell myself first that I will have a great day. If you own it, you will achieve it! I compliment myself and I end my affirmation with a goal. The goal is always to end my day the way it began. If I woke up positive I want to go to sleep the same way. It doesn't matter how horrible of day it might have been. I refuse to take that stress with me to my bed because you know what happens? Insomnia, tossing and turning and not mention puffy eyes. I do not want to see my eyes the size of sand bags and bloodshot red when I wake up. No thanks.
I also take pride in how I look. You don't have to dress like you are right out of a magazine but just showing that you took pride in your appearance can give you this nice little jolt of confidence because you know you look good and that energy can speak volumes. Make sure you are presenting yourself in a good image that you are proud of. Now what you might like might not meet everyone's approval and that's ok because we aren't out here trying to please anyone but ourselves, but please, run a comb through your hair; Keep up appearances, not for others but for yourself. You have to appreciate what you see everyday.
Now when you are conquering your day, make sure you are behaving. I don't mean behave by society standards but behave in a way that makes you proud. A simple way of putting it is by treating others how you want to be treated. All day we are interacting with others and some interactions can be unsavory but even though you might feel triggered at some point just allow yourself to take a step back and think to yourself, what can I do in this situation that will allow me to think back and be proud that I didn't fly off the handle. I personally always think about a few people I have come across who would be so nasty to me and for no reason whatsoever and I would wonder how they slept at night. Then every they put off on me left them looking so ugly and I just wondered how they felt on the inside. It has to be heavy carrying around all that animosity day in and day out and it showed. This one woman would always come to work disheveled, she looked dirty like she didn't comprehend hygiene, and her face was always red like she was fire, hot mad and she never failed to be insulting to any and everyone. I told her once that if she just took a moment and thought about she could make someone's day rather than destroy theirs she might feel better at the end of her shift. Eventually she sought therapy to help her with her issues and became more pleasant and stopped looking like a bat that flew out of hell and once she felt good, that energy started exuding on to us.
 What I am saying is just love yourself no matter what. Love yourself until it hurts other people to see how comfortable you are in your skin. It can be contagious.