Ladies, I’m about to unveil a topic near and dear to my heart and share it with all of you. I’ve thought about this a lot as we enter into January and it’s been important to me for some time now. And maybe you can’t relate, and that’s okay…but, maybe you can.

When did it become glamorous to talk negatively about ourselves? When did we think that the damsel in distress was actually a good move? Somewhere down the line, were we rewarded for our self deprecation, self doubt and self hatred? Did someone hold us when we spoke so viscerally about ourselves that we thought, maybe this is actually who I am?

I’m not proud of it, but I want to be honest with ya’ll on here so yeah, somewhere down the line, I started believing negative comments about myself because I was consoled and cajoled for them. Because I liked hearing what someone else had to say about me better than what I had to say about myself.

But then there came a point where they stopped and said nothing.

And that’s when it hit me.

That’s when I sat back and thought, wait… where’s the reward in this? Who’s benefiting from this? Who made it heroic and glamorous to say horrific things about ourselves?

Now, before you go ahead and start pointing the proverbial finger and try to figure out who consoled me, just hold up a second because that’s really not the point, is it? The point is that somehow, somewhere, I started beating myself up.  I started believing that I was not good enough. That I was not worthy enough. And like I said, maybe you can’t relate, but then again, maybe you can.

And if you can relate,  I’m here to tell you – you are good enough. You are worthy enough. You are enough.

As we enter the New Year, I challenge you to say outstanding, otherworldly, AMAZING, things about yourself. I challenge you to sit up straighter. I challenge you to speak, boldly, even if your voice shakes. I challenge you to believe that you have the power, strength and courage to be whoever you want to be. I challenge you to look yourself in the mirror and be PROUD of who is staring back at you. And if you aren’t? I challenge you to make a change.

Keep the promises you make to yourself. Go to the gym when you say you will. Quit your job if it makes you so unhappy. Don’t just say what you want, be who you want. Trust your instincts. And don’t let other people treat you like crap because you’re treating yourself like crap. Treat yourself with grace, poise, and respect like the goddess you are. And then, don’t settle when someone else treats you with anything less than what you deserve.

Have you ever heard the saying, “we accept the love we think we deserve.” Well, start believing that you deserve love for no other reason than the fact that you are you. I’m the first one to wave my hand in the air and say that I struggle with this every day. But I’m working on it. And it’s getting easier.

But it shouldn’t have to be so hard. It shouldn’t have to be a struggle to feel worthy. And this year, this month, this week, I challenge you every day, to believe that you are.

Happy New Year my friends, I’m rooting for you.