An Article to Inspire and Kick My Ass!

Happy Wednesday, and who else besides me is looking forward to getting over the hump?  Work is beyond busy...we've had rain and chill in SoCal...but as usual, I'm trying to keep my head up and a smile on my face!

Today, MIND BODY GREEN sent over an article that MUST have been written especially for me, given what I've been focusing on this year:

10 Signs You're the Best Version of Yourself

WOW!  Are you kidding me?  Talk about an opportunity to reflect and connect with my 2015 goals!  What fun this is going to be....

Or is it?  Could be that I'm setting myself up for disappointment if I'm  not where I think I should be.  Although, if that's not a reflection of the process it takes to Become Your Best Self, then I'm not sure what is.  I'll reflect on five today, and five on Friday...

You stop negative self-talk as soon as you see it coming.

Um....okay.  I think that I do this.  For some things more than others.  When it comes to work, I'm usually way more complimentary of myself and proud of my accomplishments and task completion; at home, sometimes I'm more self-deprecating...especially if Charles and I are having an argument and I'm either being overly sensitive or aggressive.  And then....there's the body image and my relationship with The Mirror at the Bathroom Sink.  

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best, I'm going to give myself a 6.  

So how will I be nicer to myself when "we" are engaged in conversation?  This is actually pretty simple.  I will remind myself of the Kathy Freston mantra that I adopted this year....PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION.  

You know how to say no.

I think one of Leo Babauta or Courtney Carver's books/blog posts taught me a good lesson about this - when you are able to say NO, you can begin to say YES.  It's all about prioritizing and insuring that you are putting the proper energy behind your work, your activities, and what you think you can accomplish in a day, week, month.  I'm giving myself an 8 out of 10 here, because my focus on wellness and life balance helps me manage this much easier in my current place.

You forgive yourself.

GREAT scene from one of my favorite modern film noir - HOUSE OF GAMES (1987).  Where Margaret and her mentor are meeting up for lunch, and Margaret is overwhelmed with what happened in her little tryst with the con-men (if you haven't seen this film, you really really need to!)  The exact quote is:  "When you have done something unforgivable, I'll tell you exactly what to do. You forgive yourself."  And you do.  And it's done.  
Then there's always Sheena Easton, who said "The past is the past, and I'm not gonna dwell."  Okay so I missed my swim workout today.  I had a bad run.  I didn't get that one project finished.  It's okay.  Tomorrow is another day (thank you, Scarlett O'Hara).  I give myself a 9 out of 10 here.  

You learn something new everyday.

YES!  Rock Star 10 baby!!  Thanks to my favorite apps, Productivity and Happiness, I FORCE myself to look at the day and reflect, answer the question "What did I learn today" and "How will I apply it tomorrow."  Between listening to a podcast to and from working, taking 10-15 minutes to read before bed, and either researching for a blog post (never mind what I do at my actual JOB), there's always new learning for me in 2015!  I RULE! (Rock on Kevin Spacey!)

You celebrate your imperfections.

7 out of 10 - definitely room for improvement.  Right now I'm struggling over what is either the weirdest facial rash ever, or a nutty case of pre-menopausal adult acne, LOL.  But I've never been the one to flaunt anything about my body, really.  Even when I was really heavy, I tried to dress to "hide" my weight and properly represent my age.  And I find that I'm having a hard time differentiating between my "imperfections" and my "flaws".  And what's related to my outer appearance versus what my inner beauty and struggles are.  I know that I'm horribly impatient and selfish - is that in imperfection to celebrate, or a character flaw to improve upon.  Exactly.  I still use this as a defense mechanism with my hubby - "this is just who I am, so deal with it!"  But that's such a big fat lie.  We all can evolve.  How else can I hope to Become My Best Self if there's no change and no evolution?  

So there you have it.  Signs 6-10 coming up on Friday, with the usual Week in Progress.  Happy Hump Day, Y'all!