You are what you believe yourself to be.
As a first-time mom, I question a lot of things and sometimes I find myself head to head with my worst enemy — myself.
The woman I am today is a lot different from the person I was before my son. I lacked confidence and I often felt defeated. Sometimes that person tries to make her way back into my life, so when she does I give her a hug to show her it is okay to just be herself.
A new Dove ad made me think of all the mean things I have told myself, and how terrible it would sound if someone were to tell it out loud to someone else.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tM2Z0-zFcw
But beautiful thoughts are not always easy to come by. Surrounded by life and all the negatives it could bring, you often have to tune things and people out. Whenever I feel as though something or someone is bringing me down I ask myself why and whether it is really worth thinking about it.
One thing I have noticed is the importance of good thoughts, and often times I turn negative thoughts into positive ones by simply writing things down. Whether I bring out the pen and paper or post it on my blog, I like to let it all out. After all, nothing good comes from holding anything in.
Keeping Positive Vibes
This is the happiest I have ever been because I have never had this much control over my life. Of course, I miss my family and friends, but I have learned to cope with certain situations in life that I may not have been comfortable in before.
It has taken baby steps to get to this point. Today, I am not afraid to say no to someone nor am I worried about what others will think. There was a time when I first started this blog that I never mentioned it to anyone. I even created separate social media accounts for me to share my blog posts, connect with bloggers and communicate brands. Although I separated my blog post out of fear of “looking cheesy” to family and friends, it has worked out for the best. I have a larger following on my blog’s Instagram because I started to put in more effort and I genuinely believed in myself, even if I felt family and friends would not.
To help keep positive, I do the following:
1. I change my thoughts from time to time.
Aside from writing them down, I share them with those that I love. Because after all, those that genuinely love you will not judge you.
2. I think of new ideas.
Sometimes you have so much on your mind and if you give it a good “spin” it could work in your favor.
3. I focus on my family.
No matter how stressed out I can be for whatever reason, looking through photos of my family always keeps me sane.
4. I take a selfie.
One thing I noticed about social media is that people like to see you, so maybe this might explain why selfies are so popular on social websites. 😉 And a smile goes a long way!
5. I get dressed up.
Whenever I trade yoga pants and a tee for a dress or a skirt and (short) heels, I feel a lot better. Remember that how you look impacts how you feel. So do your hair and put on some makeup. And yes, you can still look stylish with a mommy bun, but I like to save those for errands and very busy days 😉