I stood in front of the mirror looking at me in a swimsuit. It was to be our first outing to the pool.
As I stared at my reflection those negative voices started in.
“You look like a beached whale”
“People are going to laugh at you”
“Are you really going out in public like that?”
Then my inner strength stepped up, ready for battle.
“What does it matter what they think?
“This is an outing with your husband, not the word”
“The people at the pool are there to enjoy the summer day, not look at what you are wearing”
“This is not a photo shoot!!!”
This is not a photo shoot. Wow. That certainly made me stop to think.
So many times I did not join in the fun because I thought I looked too fat, or too ugly, or the outfit I wore wasn’t flattering. “What will the others think” ruled my thoughts. I missed out on so much fun.
If others were busy talking about the weight I had gained or the outfit I wore, that was their problem. They, too, were missing out on the fun and the purpose of the gathering.
So I lathered on the sunscreen and stepped into the water. I glanced around. No one was looking at me. They were busy with their own lives, their families, their children. I was just someone passing by them into the waters they were heading into themselves.
Life is not a photo shoot, TerryAnn. Get out there and enjoy it.
What is holding you back?