Nothin' but a Number

Written by Kari Keenan Friday, 21 October 2011 17:09

Nothin' but a Number

We seem to live our lives by numbers: time, date, weight, clothing size. Why do we put so much emphasis on some of these numbers, especially weight and clothing size? How did those two things gain so much importance that they define our mood, and ultimately, our self-esteem?
The simple act of stepping on the scale can dictate whether it's going to be a good day or a bad day. Whether we can eat that cookie or need to forgo the slice of cheese today. Whether we add in an extra 15 minutes of cardio or switch from intervals to steady state. That one number has so much power over us - our thoughts, emotions, and actions.
Not only does the scale hold power, so do clothing sizes. Regardless of the fact that each brand has different sizing standards, we still place so much emphasis on what size clothes we wear. We moan and cry when a pair of pants is too small, even if we fit into the same size of a different brand. Why do we care so much about what size we wear? No one else cares! People don't go around asking what size clothing you wear - they're admiring how flattering the cut is or how much they like the embellishments. Yet going up or down in clothing sizes is often a cause for either celebration or tears.
We need to focus more on our inner beauty and the things we like and love about ourselves ... and forget what numbers the scale or clothes display. What matters most is how we treat others, how we conduct ourselves in both private and public settings, and how we treat ourselves. We're all valuable. We're all unique. Not one of us is definable.
When you look in the mirror, what do you see? Chicken legs? A belly roll? 135 lbs? Thunder thighs? Jiggly arms? A size 10?
Instead of focusing on your body and your perceived imperfections, try focusing on WHO you really are. A wonderful mother. Intelligent. A great friend. Creative. Interesting.
You're not just a number. Not just a size. Not just a weight.
You're YOU. And that's far more powerful and important than any number.
Kari Keenan
National-Level NPC Figure Competitor
FigureGirlWorld.com