Show Up For Yourself

I was doing yoga this morning, and this is what I would like you to believe I look like:

In reality, I'm not what you would call the picture perfect yoga-er.  Sometimes I swear at the television, grunt (or scream, however you categorize it) with the pain, and drip sweat.  Not so pretty, right?

But, seriously, even though it can be super painful and challenging, I always feel really good after some yoga.  

To keep my readers updated, I've recommitted to working out and I'm starting week three (? or is it four?).  I'm unusual for a woman in that I actually like to lift weights more than cardio.  But I know that I need all kinds of exercise to keep healthy.  So anyway, back to my yoga session...

Approximately my face during yoga

The yoga instructor said something that really resonated with me today, and I thought I would pass it on to all of you.

"Self confidence begins with self trust. Show up for yourself."

As I've been working out, I'm slowly gaining strength and endurance again and it feels good.  I haven't technically lost any weight, I don't think.  I don't keep a scale around, because I know I would obsess about it.  So instead I obsess over my tape measure.  In fact, I got to feeling down yesterday, because despite my working out my pants feel like they're fitting tighter.

With that aside, I'm FEELING better even without the weight loss.  And I think my handy dandy DVD yoga instructor hit it on the head.

I've been showing up for me.  I'm focusing effort towards myself.  And the days when I REALLY, really, REALLY don't want to be at the gym, when I follow through I feel good about it.

This applies to our lives in general.  When we're lazy, we don't complete tasks to the best of our ability. We can't trust ourselves to satisfy us.  So when others are disappointed it only rubs salt in the wound.

The hard thing about self-trust is it is difficult to detect.  Just going to a gym consistently, or cleaning your kitchen every night before bed, or doing at least one load of laundry a day may seem like silly little things.  But the truth is that you are setting goals for yourself and saying, "Self, this is what I want you to accomplish."  And yourself says, "I've got this.  Don't worry about it.  You go do your thing."

But then you don't do it.

And you feel bad about it.  You broke your own trust.  You told yourself you were going to do it for yourself, and you failed yourself.  So it comes to make sense that it breaks your self-confidence.  You can't trust yourself, and so you can't have confidence in yourself.

Your relationship with you is just as real and important and your other relationships in life, and yet it is considered the last of the most important.  But don't forget, if you don't love you, how can you love anyone else to your full potential?

So show up for yourself.  Do that scrapbook cookbook you've been telling yourself you're going to do. Or start a gym routine.  And do it for you, not for someone else.  That would defeat the whole purpose.

Self trust is a selfish act that results in a happiness shared in an unselfish way.