A message from Sandy.  You are the only you, and you have to love that about yourself:) No matter what other people say, no matter what you read in magazines articles, no matter what celebrities and super models look like, you are in the body you have right now. There may be things you want to change, maybe even things you should change if they are posing a risk to your health. But for now, in this very moment, you are what you are–so you might as well love what you’ve got!

ABC’s of Loving Yourself:

• Accept your body. Sure, there are things you can change, but for the most part we have to work with what we’ve got. We should love ourselves no matter what shape or size you are. You are beautiful!  You are fabulous! You are terrific ! An you have good cheekbones! (you know who you are.)
• Be who you are. The essence of you comes from within—from your mind, your personality, and your heart. Try to remember you are not who you look like, there is so much more to you than appearance.
• Cultivate a health environment. Put yourself in a healthier place. Eating healthy, exercising, meditating to get yourself to a calmer, happier place are great ways for you to love yourself.
• Dive into self love. If you’re having trouble loving yourself, encourage positive thinking about life by reading positive information and surrounding yourself with positive and encouraging people.
• Embrace your abilities. Think about what you do well.( amazing parent; great athlete, world- class knitter etc.) Embrace what you are good at and spend more time indulging in those activities.
• Forget about comparisons.  ”Forget about it!” No matter what we do, chances are we’ll never look like Hedi Klum or Brad Pitt. And that’s okay——you are beautiful in your own way and you will always and forever be you.
• Get moving. If you get in a funk about the way you look or how much weight you gained over the holidays–you don’t want to do anything. You just lay around watching E! Thinking how pathetic it is that you have resorted to watching E!–Break the cycle!
• Indulge in what you love. You don’t have to overdo it, but every so often let yourself eat or do whatever you wouldn’t normally do.
• Join something fun. Join a group, meet new people, try new things and have some fun.

Stay tuned–we still have K-Z to go!