An honest moment on self love

SELF- LOVE: regard for one’s own well-being and happiness.

noun

I used to be very self conscious about my legs. I was teased in school, mostly by the boys for having incredibly skinny legs. Not only were my legs thin, but I was thin. People would tell me to eat more and when kids wanted to be mean, they too would tell me to go eat something so I can gain some weight or else I would blow away with the wind. Rude much?

Wearing: Romper target / Flats target/ Earrings Forever21/ Bag target/Sunnies/ Forever21

So, what did I do? I ate, and ate some more, but the weight gain never really happened.

It wasn’t until my mid 30’s that weight gain crept up on me, and I embraced it. I liked the way that I looked with a few extra pounds. Around that time, I had also landed my very first work from home job. There was a huge shift in lifestyle because I no longer had to leave my home and rush to get to work. I became pretty inactive. I rolled out of bed and walked around the house in my pajamas, working from my laptop on the couch. In addition to the few extra pounds that I had happily gained, I ended up gaining 40 pounds in 2 years. Yes, you read that right, 40 pounds.

When I was skinny, people told me to go eat something because I needed to gain weight. When I gained weight, people seemed troubled that I had gained weight and felt the need to constantly point it out. In the words of Wendy Williams…the hypocrisy of it all! While others seemed troubled and baffled with my weight gain, I was ok with it for the most part. Having been skinny for most of my life, I welcomed the weight. My main concern were these 3 things:  being healthy, feeling confident, and liking the way that I looked when I got dressed. It was pretty simple.

Moral of the story is- I have to love me. All of me, despite the opinions of others. Nicky when she’s on the slim side and Nicky with a little more weight on her. You have to love you too. Society will have you thinking that you are not good enough, but you have to look in the mirror and thank God for the body you are in. I am thankful for mine. Plus or minus 40 pounds and the skinny legs, too. I used to feel really self conscious to show my legs, but now I don’t.  They are mine. God given. I walk, run, jump and dance with these legs and that is what matters to me. Never let others dim your shine!

With love

Nicky,