*Sponsored post – Loving our bodies, feeling free to wear fun and fitted clothes and being grounded in endless amounts of confidence can seem like an unachievable goal, especially if every time you look in the mirror you wish things were different. The solution to this worldwide problem is actually simple, master your mind so you can love your body. As we live our lives, from childhood into our adult years, we learn to discern the world through our own set of inner priorities. If you can imagine a pair of fashionable glasses, your mind filters and colours how you see the world through the lenses you wear – also known as your perspectives – which are based on your inner priority list.
The collection of these inner priorities is what I like to call your unedited authentic blueprint. We are all unique, forming this incredible mosaic walking on Earth, and each of us are born equipped with different preferences, cultural values, different shapes and sizes and of course, a vast array of skills. This rich diversity not only makes the world a better place, but it is also a result of each individual’s unique set of values.
The trick becomes when we start to infuse others’ views of the world and confuse it with our inner ones. For example, if you looked at a magazine as a child and you believed that beauty only looked a certain way or if a parent taught you that working hard at the expense of doing the things that set your soul on fire was the “right” way to go about your life… you may find yourself stuck, subordinating to external opinions at the expense of your own. I like to call them authorities, which in our analogy would represent different colour lenses being placed on your pair of fashionable sunglasses.
Even though a common occurrence, this subordination to outer authorities keeps us stuck in a comparison trap, which often leads to women avoiding the mirror, feeling like they lack confidence and resenting the scale. But what if you discovered that confidence is actually relative? I am a very confident speaker and writer on subjects that are high in my inner priorities, such as the mind-body connection, redefining healthy aging and self-acceptance. I even published a book, called ‘Release – A Woman’s Guide To Releasing Weight In Midlife Through Becoming Your Body’s Best Friend’, so you could say that I am confident in my writing skills. However, if I was asked to write on topics outside of my zone of genius, say real estate investment, I would not feel confident at all.
Therefore, feeling confident when you look in the mirror in order to love your body has a lot to do with your inner world and your congruence with living by priority, and much less to do with your actual appearance, the tag size on your jeans or even the number on the scale! When I realized this, I was set free, free to be myself and drop the pressure I used to place on how I looked and all the frustration I felt when it did not measure up to these external, ever-changing sets of standards.
I do understand that comparing ourselves is a natural process, so what I propose is that next time, instead of feeling less than, look at it through the lenses of reflective awareness. You see, nothing is ever missing, and we are only able to admire in others that which we have too. Therefore, every person around you is a reflective mirror, shining your own light through how they express themselves.
The most powerful question you could ask yourself every time you feel inclined to love your body less or to compare yourself to others is this: “What part of myself that I admire, I can see in them?”. For example, say you admire someone else’s hair, but you look in the mirror and you dislike what you see. Take some time to reflect on what beautiful hair means to you, is it a sign of youth? Do you perceive it as sexy, or the sign of wealth? Whatever the meaning you are associating with ‘beautiful hair’, based on the principles of reflective awareness, you have it too! Now your job is to contemplate where in YOU these qualities also appear and don’t stop until you find it, no hair extensions required!
Lastly, once you start to release the voices of those authorities telling you what you should or shouldn’t look like, and you start to look for the beauty you see in others inside of you, you become able to tap into this endless source of inner motivation and that includes the ability to love your body.
Inner motivation is a self-propelling force that when properly activated, can make you unstoppable, no matter your goal in life. When your desires are in full alignment with your authentic blueprint, which as we discussed, comes with your own unique set of inner priorities, you become able to take any goal into fruition, without the fear of losing momentum or relying on external accountability nor willpower.
This magical switch happens when the goal we have is in full alignment with our inner priorities, so our job becomes to uncover the potential saboteurs on the way, things like limiting beliefs, doubts, fears and even the opinions of those authorities we had been listening to our entire lives.
You see, your mind is designed to have the highest degree of focus, energy levels and wellness when you are working toward the fulfillment of your inner priorities. Equally so, when we get distracted by lower priorities, those “should” and “have tos”, we become unfocused, tired and we perceive we lack motivation. Your mind is always working to help you fulfill what is most important to you, your job then becomes to master your mind, so you can get what you want!
Join a Free Masterclass and Learn to Love Your Body
If you are ready to look in the mirror and LOVE your body that you see, I invite you to join me for a free masterclass on The 3 Hidden Weight Loss Blockers – Crack The Code On Consistent Weight Release and Say Goodbye To Self-Sabotaging Habits. In this value packed class, you will learn how your mind makes choices, you will identify your own saboteurs and you will leave with my simple Inner Motivation Formula, so you can love what you see in the mirror without having to change a thing about yourself. To register for this masterclass, please click here.
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About the Author
Juliana Leamen is a Mind-Body Weight Release Expert, Midlife Self-Empowerment Coach, Author & Podcaster. She is on a mission to provide a new, better model of care for weight loss, what she calls weight release, moving away from the ‘diet mindset’ and helping women find confidence from within. With over 11 years of experience, Juliana is passionate about helping women over 40 make the shift towards weight release so they can balance their hormones naturally, release excess weight and fall in love with their bodies again.
Connect with Juliana Leamen online: Website | New book | LinkedIn | Instagram
Click and listen to Jamila Kyari’s interview on Confidence From Within podcast!
What steps are you going to take today to love your body inside and out?
I’m a communications and marketing consultant with a penchant for all things stylish and chic. My mission is helping women live vibrantly through well-written articles and creative posts at the intersection of fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Subscribe to my newsletter and stay updated on top trends!
