Conceited or Confident?

I have recently lost 45 pounds. I am very proud of myself for giving life to 3 beautiful babies and yet managing to lose weight and still feel beautiful.  I like to look nice, do my hair, wear jewelry and occasionally have a pedicure or my nails done as a reward for all of my hard work as a mother and woman.

A few people over the past few months have called me high maintenance and conceited.  At first I became slightly upset. I mean I go out of my way to help others, I try to encourage others and uplift them. So I didn't understand how I would be considered high maintenance or conceited. 

Then it dawned on me that this is simply another way for people to attempt to bring you down or to rain on your parade. There are way too many people (men and women) in this world who have been affected by our social media.  You know, the photoshopped pictures of flawless bodies. Not once ounce of fat or cellulite on their body, perfect hair, no wrinkles.

I pondered more on this, which made me pay even more attention to the way people around me view themselves.  It was very upsetting. So I am here to say that everyone has beauty. Some people will try to bring you down because they are not happy with themselves. 

There has to be one thing about yourself that you love. It may not necessarily be a physical feature. But maybe something that you have obtained in life that you are proud about. Take that one quality that you love about yourself and think about it everyday.  I guarantee that you will start thinking about and finding other features about yourself that you love.

When you reach the point of loving yourself inside and out, don't allow anyone to take it from you. It is not being conceited.  It is being proud of who you are in life. We all need to love ourselves before we can love anyone else.  Once you find that love within, everything else will fall into place.

So go on, show off your confidence!