Eat the cookie, already.

It’s hard to be a woman.

For instance; special occasion. Casual attire. We could go for the dress, but it would need to be around knee length. And the shorter the dress gets, the shorter the heels need to get to avoid looking trashy. Or we could go for the skirt. A great print with a solid top and some killer heels would be perfect. But maybe too boring. But how casual does “casual” mean? Should we go for the dark wash jeans with that new black button down with some red stilleto’s and big accessories? Or do we make a statement and put on those black slacks, the new silk halter paired with metallic peep toes and a sleek hair do?

Nothing is easy. Even picking out an outfit for ONE event can prove to be the most difficult decision. Which brings me to the question: Why do women make life harder than it has to be? We aren’t doing ourselves any favors, ladies. Haven’t we all watched a man get ready for a special occassion? The biggest decision they have to make is; tie or no tie? Why can’t it be that easy for us? NEWS FLASH! It can.

With hundreds of new diets coming full force constantly, women are diving in head first to drop a few pounds and hopefully meet their “desired weight” or “ideal dress size”. And these cleanses, too! It’s amazing how people will exclaim that they are doing a cleanse to “get healthier” or “rid their bodies of the bad stuff”. Everyone knows that more often than not, that IS NOT the case. You do these ridiculous cleanses because you saw a story online about this lady who did it and “it worked for her” so you are going to drink nothing but lemonade mixes and water mixed with horrible spices for the next however many days until you reach your desired results.

All of these things sound like time consuming, tiresome, expensive ways to do what? Make yourself happy? Make others like what they see? Keep up a certain image or status quo? It’s all ridiculous. What a terrible way to spend your life; so entirely consumed with what you look like. Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for working out and staying physically fit for the good of your health and well-being and hey, even with dropping some of the unwanted pounds you gained over the Christmas holiday. But at some point, the torture for women really has got to stop.

I just know that my God did not create me the way that I am, to watch me suffer and strive so hard to look a different way. To not eat what I thought might taste good because I didn’t want to gain a pound. To monitor my calorie intake so intently that I cannot focus on anything around me because I’m about to faint from having no energy. My God created me beautifully. He made me healthy and happy and beautiful. No, I don’t look like an airbrushed model from a magazine. Yes, I have my insecurities just like the next girl about certain parts of my body. Did I eat as many fruits and vegetables that I could last week, yes. Did I sit on the couch and eat 3 cookies and half a bag of chips while watching movies this week, yes. Did I proudly put my bikini on in front of all of my friends and emit confidence despite all of my physical flaws, yes I did.

The bottom line here is acceptance. God has already accepted you despite your flaws, emotionally, physically; and still thinks that you are beautiful. What are you still striving for? Eventually we need to accept ourselves the way we are because I guarantee you, even if you don’t hear it, there are MANY people that think that you are beautiful and gorgeous, inside and out.  If you work on the inside, the outside will fall into place. The heart is where it all starts. We SHOULD be striving incredibly hard for that inner beauty. We SHOULD be obsessing over that, because THAT is what people remember and what people want to be around. Make that the first priority.

Let’s start making life a little easier for us, ladies. Own the confidence. Know that you are beautiful, inside and out. Eat the cookie, and wear that bikini with a smile on your face.

~ by hstringer on June 16, 2009.