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You ARE Beautiful! And so am I…

Aug 3, 2016 | 5:26 AM

Contributed by Stephanie Staples at Your Life Unlimited

Many years ago, I showed my neighbour our newest family photo, complete with three kids and two dogs. She commented how nice everyone looked, just like a good neighbour should.

I pronounced that I liked how everyone looked except myself.

Then she said words I have never forgotten. “Steph, I hate to tell you this, but that’s how you look.”

Ohhhh. Wow. Ouch. That’s how I look. Even if that’s not how I want to look. That’s how I look. Oh.

That message she not so subtly sent me, was the beginning of a big change in my self-perception.

If that’s how I looked, what would happen instead of being disappointed, discouraged and unhappy every time I saw myself, I just accepted and embraced how I looked?

What if I changed my perception to that of gratitude instead of dissatisfaction?

What would change if I did that?

Apparently everything.

Everything changed.

It hasn’t been easy, and I’m not always accepting of myself, but for the most part, I’m much, much better and much, much happier.  And strangely enough, I’ve never had so many compliments on my looks since I started feeling better about myself.

A nice bonus to be sure.

Accepting your perfectly, imperfect self, it’s just one more way to live Your Life, Unlimited!

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Enjoy this week’s CJOB radio show with my guests Colin Easton founder The Stranger Project and The Geeky Girl, Angela Mondor.

 

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Stephanie Staples, CSP* is the author of When Enlightening Strikes – Creating a Mindset for Uncommon Success, an internationally acclaimed motivational speaker, and the recipient of the 2014 Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur Award for Contributions to Community. Stephanie empowers audiences & clients across North America to bring their ‘A’ game to work and to life. Stephanie has a special interest in working with and empowering nurses and healthcare providers. She happily calls Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada home. You can get loads of complimentary resources to help with issues such as work/life balance, wellness, stress management and happiness in general, as well as find out more information about her coaching and speaking services at http://www.YourLifeUnlimited.ca.

* Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), conferred by the National Speakers Association is the speaking profession’s international measure of professional platform proficiency. Less than 10 percent of speakers have earned this credential and are recognized as some of the best in their fields. Stephanie was one of only five professional speakers in Canada (and the only woman) to attain this designation in 2013.

The post You ARE Beautiful! And so am I… first appeared on Your Life Unlimited.

Contributed by Stephanie Staples at Your Life Unlimited