Happy Holidays! I hope you have been enjoying the season so far!
I'm popping into your inbox one last time this year to share a message that is very important to me.
As we get closer to the New Year, you will notice a shift in media messaging from “It’s the holidays! Live it up! Do what you want! Eat what you want! Eat cookies for breakfast! You only live once!” to “You pig! You ate how many tarts?! You need to start a diet NOW.” Almost overnight, marketers go from touting joy, love, and twinkle lights to capitalizing on our insecurities and bombarding us with messages that scream, “You’re not good enough. You’re not healthy enough, not fit enough, not frugal enough, not generous enough, not organized enough. You need New Year Resolutions NOW to fix all your problems.”
What a bunch of garbage. They are just trying to sell you something.
Don’t fall for it.
You don't need new year resolutions; you are wonderful just the way you are.
Honestly.
It doesn’t matter how much you do, what you look like, how messy your cupboards are, how much you volunteer, how much you weight, how much you work out, etc.
You are enough.
Yes, there is room for each of us to improve. In fact, I think we should all try to be our best and get better all the time.
BUT self-improvement needs to come from a place of deep appreciation for yourself and NOT from a place of lack or disdain.
Body image concerns especially are thrown into the limelight around this time of year.
Look, it’s something I struggle with, too. But I’m learning.
The most powerful thing I’ve learned lately is this:
Your body is the least interesting thing about you.
You are so much more than your body. You are your personality, your passion, your goals, your hobbies, your knowledge, your experiences, your empathy, your interests, your sense of humour, your skills, the way you make people feel. THAT’s who you are. Your body is just the vessel that allows you to do those things.
So, on those days when you might not particularly like your body, that's okay; you don't have to. Instead, can you merely appreciate your body for the things it allows you to do? We can work on learning to love your body no matter what later.
You are enough.
Finally, I know I said this in my last newsletter, but it warrants repeating: I am so grateful that you are part of my community. It’s heart-warming (and surreal!) to me that you open my newsletters every two weeks to hear what I have to say. Thank you. You make all this possible. In return, I hope the tidbits I share make even a bit of a positive difference in your lives.
Happy New Year!
With gratitude,
Stephanie
LORA Concepts Inc.
elevating employee confidence
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p.s. The information, insight, and advice I share through my work is meant to exist alongside whatever else you may be doing to bolster your mental health, manage stress, or improve your well-being. Nothing I share is meant to replace directives or treatment plans provided by your doctor, therapist, or other healthcare professional.
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