You really are. 
 

This may seem like an oversimplified statement but I have met dozens – hundreds? thousands? – of post-ops through my blog and other places. As I speak to them the most common thing I hear is a lack of confidence. There are statements of self-esteem but sometimes they come off a little less than convincing, as if the person is saying, “I know I SHOULD like me but I don’t. So I’ll keep saying I do until I feel it."

Thinking about it, I think most people don’t know it’s ok to like you. Right here. Right now. The way you are today.

 

This does NOT mean this is how you want to (or should) stay forever. But it is appreciating the fact that life is full of change and learning and that the process is beautiful and the fact that you are the epicenter of that process makes YOU beautiful. And don’t we all love beautiful things?

 

You don’t have to wait to look like Heidi Klum/Beyonce/ (insert any icon that’s ever been waved in front of you like a carrot in front of a donkey for the sake of losing weight). You can like you.

 

You can like you, even though you are 50, 100, ??? pounds from goal. You can like fitting in a size 16 when you used to wear a 26, even if you aim to wear a 6. You can like that you can walk on the treadmill even if you aim to be able to run 26.2 miles (Paul). You can like that you can only eat an appetizer sized plate as opposed to several dinner plates, even if you worry that eating that appetizer sized plate may be too much.

 

You can like you. You can like every single step in this journey. You can embrace what’s hard and also embrace what’s awesome. You can promote yourself shamelessly. You can show off. You can be flirty. You can make eye contact. You can smile at others. You can laugh at jokes. You can feel exhilarated, pampered, relaxed or whatever else makes you feel happy.

So often we are taught the paradigm that to get to a person we like, we must hate the person we are right now. That’s not true! I stand before you significantly heavier than my lowest post-op weight and let me tell you…as much as you all like me, I like me 100 times more. (presumptive, much?)

 

Yes, I sound like a broken record, but I want to say it one more time. You can like you. It’s ok. That doesn’t diminish the work set before you. But it does make the journey to your final destination a WHOLE lot more fun.

Good post!  & Yes I like ME!  Some days more than others but even on a bad day I like myself a little! 

Thanks for your insight,,,, Kelly

Thank you for that knowledge. I was so needing to pick myself up today.

 I like this:   "You can like that you can only eat an appetizer sized plate as opposed to several dinner plates, even if you worry that eating that appetizer sized plate may be too much."    

LOL this is my current dilemma....that i am eating to much and i eat off a small plate at meals...small like the coffee saucer size small.  lol

Your points are valid..all of them..thanks for the pep talk..

 I do like this post.  Thanks!!

I like me, and I like you too!

 Oy, exactly.  Self esteem is a huge issue for me.

I do a lot of fake it until I make it and posting notes around the house about how wonderful I am.

I wonder how I missed the self esteem boat because my sister sure doesn't have a problem.

One day at a time.

Thank you.  I like me.  In fact, I love me some me!