As the Valentine's Day holiday festivities come to a close, I want to share something with you that I have done every Valentine's Day since rehab, that has truly helped me through my recovery. I take a moment and sit down and write a love letter to my body. You may be thinking just the mere thought of doing this seems impossible but with some determination I know you can do it. When I was in rehab I had to write hate letters to the body parts that I disliked the most, mine was passionately written with hatred towards every inch of my anatomy. After I finished the letter, I could not believe how much I truly despised myself. It was a harsh realization but the next step was one of the hardest things I had to do. I had to change every negative thing I said about myself into something positive. For instance, if I said the statement, "My butt is fat." I had to change it to "My butt is curvy and beautiful." As much as it killed me to focus on the positive, by the end of my time at rehab I believed most of the positive remarks I had countered my original comments with. As time goes on, I find myself recognizing more and more good in my body type and realizing that God made me the way He intended and I need to be satisfied with that. By taking the time to write a love letter to your body you are working on maintaining a positive focus and that is contagious. Even if you feel like you can only admit ONE good thing about your body that you love, it's better than nothing. Write it out in big letters and read it everyday. I guarantee with a willing heart, it will change the way you look at yourself and help boost your confidence!
