Keeping it Real

A few weeks ago I made my confessions as an "Imperfect Blogger". Today I thought I would do a 180 and focus on the positive. We (meaning I) spend too much time comparing myself to others (another imperfection), and that only results in feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. I know I am not alone in this.

So today I thought I would focus on my strengths, the things I like about myself, the things I do well and hopefully the positive traits that people see in me.

So here goes nothing!

1. I am a really great friend. I am good at keeping connected, remembering birthdays, celebrating births and anniversaries, etc. I call my friends regularly just to catch up, despite the fact that I can see much of their lives through social media. It's not the same as a phone call.

2. I am almost never late. I say "almost" because having a child has changed my time lines a bit, but that said, I am almost always on time or early, even with my toddler in tow.

3. I maintain good balance in my life. I eat good foods, I exercise regularly, I don't watch too much TV... and on the other hand, I love to bake and eat the fruits of my labor, I drink alcohol,  and I spend too much time on facebook and instagram.

4. My stomach is as flat as it has ever been. When the Mini Fashionista was 6 months old I went through training to become an instructor at barre3. By the time she was a year old, I had more definition in my stomach than ever before. That makes a girl feel good.

5. I am a wicked good deal shopper. I love a good bargain. From Amazon to eBay or consignment sales, I get amazing things at great prices, and I am proud of it.

6. I buy second hand. Why is that so great? Remember that song... "Reduce, Re-use, Recycle"? I may be a consumer, but at least many of my choices are low impact to the environment.

7. I return all phone calls, emails and texts (and quickly). One of my biggest pet peeves at Nike was un-returned communications. Bill Perez held the position of CEO for a very short time, and he would personally return every email he received from Nike employees within days. I find that quality extremely admirable (and rare) in a leader.

8. I am resilient.  I believe the ability to bounce back quickly is incredibly important in this ever changing world. Life isn't always roses.  It's like what I teach the Mini Fashionista...if you fall down, "shake it off, dust yourself off, get back up and try again." (basically...suck it up kid!)

9. I seek personal improvement on a daily basis. Clearly from my previous post you know that I am far from perfect. And while I know that perfection is not an attainable goal, I know that self improvement is a good thing. I am constantly making resolutions, reading "self-help" books and challenging myself to be the best version of myself! Some days are better than others.

And finally...number 10! (Because ten is a good number to end with, even though I know I have more than ten admirable qualities...)

10. I can leave my house in workout clothes, without makeup and without taking a shower (you might call this crazy). Let's be honest. There are days when I wake up with dark circles under my eyes, zits on my face and greasy hair, and sometimes I leave the house like that. Because at the end of the day, how I look does not determine my worth, and I know that. I want the Mini Fashionista to know that she is beautiful just the way she is, and the only way she will learn that is if I practice what I preach.

Now it's your turn. Please leave a comment below the post with a characteristic you like about yourself! It will feel good, I promise!