When I was a young girl, I lived in a very rich town. One classmate arrived at and left school in a limo complete with chauffeur every day. Nearly all of my fellow classmates belonged to the yacht club.

And I?

Lived in a modest three bedroom brick cottage with my awesome parents and pain in the arses but I still loved them to pieces little brothers. Our Dodge truck had holes in the floor board. We used to make a game out of watching the road as we sped over it on our various journeys.

We weren’t dirt-poor but we were not over the top obscenely rich either. At least not in the financial sense.

Kids being kids, there were some pretty crappy experiences in my childhood. I was often berated for my lack of monetary associated bling. Teased and called “Corroded” as apparently that was the best they could come up with. Several afternoons found me in tears because of something a classmate said to me – and I don’t even remember what it was right now.

I learned to think pretty poorly of myself up until the 7th grade.

In the 7th grade, I found myself in a new school hundreds of miles away. It was a true blessing. I seized it and “rebranded” myself. I had friends within minutes of my first class starting. Friends who didn’t tease me or make fun of me. Friends who thought it was awesome that the “new girl” was in their class. I soaked it up.

Sure, as the years progressed and puberty sprung herself upon me, I found myself in the hot seat again. But I knew it was not me. It was the other people. It hurt, don’t get me wrong but soon I found myself wishing the people who were so very mean to me would be given a chance at a happier life because clearly, they were hurting too.

After postpartum, I had to re-learn positive self-talk all over again. I had to learn that I was not a bad mom for wanting to spend time away from my child. That formula feeding did not make me evil. That it was okay to be MY kind of mom – and unapologetically me. That I? Was a beautiful mom no matter what.

You are too.

Remember that as you do today’s challenge.

YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

You’re on the downhill side of the 21 day self-care challenge now! The incessant brain chatter that characterizes our thinking can lift us up–when we talk kindly to ourselves. Too often that inner voice rings with negativity. Many people grow up with a critical voice in their heads, driving them to improve by chastising when they’re deficient. Especially when stressed, you may be extremely self-critical, telling yourself: “You are so stupid! Wha … Read More

via LIVING The Self-Care Challenge, Oct. 6-26, 2010