Being Tender With the Ugly Parts of Yourself

Does that title make you cringe? It made me cringe when it popped into my head a few days ago.

We don't like to think about our "ugly parts," do we? By ugly parts of course I mean those aspects of ourselves we perceive to be less than perfect. For some it might be physical flaws like acne, jiggly thighs or a persistent pot belly no matter how many hours we spend in the gym. For others there may be emotional issues like fears, phobias or low self-esteem.

One lesson I keep having to learn over and over in my own life is that the more I resist these aspects of myself, the more I hate them and push them away and try to ignore them, the bigger and more dominant they become. My resistance gives them power over me.

What if we stopped pushing away these aspects of ourselves? What if we (gasp!) accepted them, loved them, embraced them? What happens to them?

For most of my adult life, I've been a cat owner (or I should say, they owned me). Several of them were strays when I took them in, and they were in terrible shape. Covered in fleas, worm infestations, coat and eyes dull. Part of it was their physical health and lack of proper diet, which I remedied over the following weeks. But on a deeper level, these animals were starving for love and affection. I eased that too, by petting them, talking to them, conveying with and without words that they mattered, they were worthy of being loved deeply and fully. And they responded to that.

As the weeks went by, a light would begin to shine in their eyes. They would become more playful and seem happier and more content. Eventually, they no longer resembled the tattered creatures that had come through my door. They were glowing with life and vitality. Their coats became soft and silky, their eyes were bright and alert and they seemed genuinely at peace. Love Transforms. It's as simple as that. Anyone who has loved deeply or has been loved deeply can attest to that.

So how does that apply to our "ugly parts?" What would happen if we loved them and embraced them? Would they transform into something more beautiful? Maybe, maybe not. Those parts of ourselves may exist for a reason, and we may not be able to change them. However, if we can't transform those, maybe we can still transform our perception of them. They will no longer appear "ugly" to us. They simply become one small aspect of our total selves. These individual aspects are not good or bad, they just are.

Loathing certain parts of ourselves is like refusing to look at a rainbow because we don't like the color green. If you like the other colors, you can accept the green at least, right? A rainbow wouldn't be complete without the color green. If we are to accept ourselves, we need to accept ALL parts of ourselves. Some of them we may be able to improve over time, and others we might not. And that's okay.

The important thing is to become at peace with ourselves, rather than fighting these ridiculous battles day after day. We need to embrace ourselves, nurture ourselves and love ourselves. In doing so, we will be transformed, on one level or another.

Wendy Betterini is an inspirational writer who strives to motivate, uplift, and inspire you to make your dreams a reality. Visit her website, http://www.wingsfortheheart.com for more positive thoughts to help you on your journey.

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.
Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.
WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds
Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.
A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.
A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.
Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.
Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.
Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.
New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.
Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.
Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.
iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.
A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.
Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.

Shifting Your Paradigm

What is a paradigm? In my own words, a paradigm... Read More

Penury Perpetuates Poverty

So...you might just believe I hide behind computers creating and... Read More

Not A Negative Thought!

Turn negative thoughts into positive ones.Negative thoughts can be very... Read More

10 Tips to Improve Your Self Esteem

Striving to improve our self esteem is on everybody's mind.... Read More

Letter of Hope from Hospital Patient

Hospital patient undergoing surgery recounts how Hero Soul provided strength,... Read More

Give Your Attitude A Little Altitude

Need a way to make your life a better place... Read More

Positive Self Talk - What Should You Say?

How do you explain things to yourself? With positive self... Read More

The Rat Race and Smiling Over Spilt Coffee

As if choreographed and rehearsed the night before, one lays... Read More

Practice Gratitude to Improve Your Life Today

As I swooshed down the Zoom Flume water slide at... Read More

Make a Personal Commitment to Change Your Life!

So, is this really where you thought you'd be? You're... Read More

10 Passion Principles to Creating the Rest of Your Life

1. Take passionate action towards living your life by design.... Read More

Change Your Perception and Your World Will Change!

IntroductionWe can find all type of people in this world... Read More

Start Living Your Dreams Today With a Positive Attitude

"Those people who think they can do something and those... Read More

Change Your Focus and Change Your Results

In his all-time bestselling record The Strangest Secret, author Earl... Read More

Life Writing, One Facet of Living an Enchanted Life

I started life writing in the fifth grade. My mother... Read More

Attitude = Altitude, Its Really Up To You!

Quote of the week:"Of all the attitudes we can acquire,... Read More

How To Talk Your Way To Success

Smart folk have always realised how vital it is to... Read More

Mastering Mindfulness: A Thinkers Ode to Meditation

I'm lucky.When I was fifteen, I was the sole survivor... Read More

Succeed with a Positive Mental Attitude

"Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude... Read More

Managing Your OCD, Panic Attacks, and Obsessive Thoughts

There are times that we encounter fearful thoughts that can... Read More

Stream of Consciousness

One thing that is important to realize about thought: one... Read More

Garbage Words In - Garbage Thinking Out

"At birth, a baby's brain contains 100 billion neurons, roughly... Read More

Reality Exposed

Did you know that our thoughts may be influencing our... Read More

Dealing with Criticism and Rejection

Whether it's the other kids making fun of you at... Read More

How to Begin to Overcome Shyness

The one thing that is absolutely vital to overcoming shyness... Read More

Granger limo Chicago ..