A Few Questions To Ponder
I know I’ve mentioned her before, but I truly love her blog. My friend Ellen, over at Fat Girl Wearing Thin has started a new challenge for January called The Hate-Loss Challenge. I didn’t sign up for it, because life has been so insane that I knew I wouldn’t be able to commit to it. I have been following her posts and participating on my own and it’s been very helpful.
She posted some interesting questions a week ago, that I wanted to answer “out loud” (these questions were taken directly from her site).
Think about the answers to these esteem-deflating questions. How often do you carry these thought around with you on a daily basis?
- My life would be so much better if I were only: more organized, lost weight and was at my goal weight, had things all together (kept up on our house, was up to date on my blog posts, made dinner with a smile, etc…)
- I’d be so much happier if I had a better: schedule, plan of action, could take on my day feeling organized
- I wish I weighed: 130 (yes, I know it’s a number, but don’t we all have a number in our head?)
- When I look in the mirror, the first thing I criticize about myself is my: gut, my fat butt, my chubby cheeks (due to extra weight gained). Oh wait, was I only suppose to put one answer to that?
- The one negative word that I use about myself over and over again is: lazy (and it’s true…I am lazy…things have to be “all or nothing” or I just don’t move forward with anything…a plan of action is key for me)
Now, answer these questions so that they can be seen by everyone reading your update:
- I often receive the most compliments on my eyes.
- What I admire most about myself when I look at my reflection is my smile.
- I take pride in my parenting, the way my kid looks and acts (yep, I’m vain that way).
- I love the fact that I can be creative and I’m good at it.
- My greatest quality is loyalty.
These questions were helpful to see my negative and positive thinking. It was very hard to answer the positive ones. I really didn’t know what to put there for answers and just had to come up with something. If I were to ask my husband to answer these (and he truly knows me better than I know myself), I’m sure he’d come up with something completely different.
Head on over to Ellen’s blog and follow along. It has been a great experience for me.
I'm Jan, a mid-30's, SAHM. I've been overweight since 1998 and continued to pack on the pounds each year. Since my son was born (October 2009), it has given me the motivation I need to get this weight off once and for all. To learn more about me, go to my 
Well, I believe every single one of those positive answers is true, and I don’t believe a single ONE about your appearance on the negative ones. I’ve seen those gorgeous photos of you (and a vlog) so I know what I’m talking about
Thank you for your support with this challenge, Jan. It means a great deal to me.
PS: get that word ‘lazy’ right out of that head of yours. Anyone with your schedule cannot do the things you are able to do and be called lazy.
Thanks Ellen! You’re always so positive. I think I’ve just got a bit too much on my plate at once, so it’s easy to look at the negative right now. Having a very sick husband in the house who has pretty much been bed ridden for over a week is wearing on us all here. Ugh!
Your positive encouragement makes me smile. Thanks!
I was thinking about joining Ellen’s challenge as well, but like you I knew that I’d have absolutely no time for it. I like your positive answers, I know they’re hard to answer when we’ve spent so much time thinking negatively about ourselves. I also think you’re right about it being easier for others to come up with positive things about us. I’m sure my wife would have different answers than me, about me, and come up with them quicker.