The Beauty of Choice

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A few years back, I got to know this amazing blogger, August McLaughlin. She started out as a blogging mentor and quickly became a friend. I am honored to be participating in her Beauty of a Woman Blogfest for the third year in a row!

For me, the beauty of a woman isn’t in trying to meet some ideal size or lose a certain number of inches.

It’s about making choices. Deciding who you want to be and becoming that person.

Making decisions that are right for you.

I’ve always done well in this realm in the academic and the career, but never with my body.  Or at least only in spurts.

The last few years, I felt like I was stuck inside this body that I had no control over it.

I accepted that this was just how it was and I gave up.

Then I saw someone older, who was struggling with far worse chronic conditions, and he looked and felt amazing.

And that’s when I realized I had choices.

Difficult decisions I could make.

The ability to change course was mine, if I took it.

So I did.

For me, it’s been about focusing on becoming stronger. Exercising more. Slowly and gradually increasing my workout time each week.

 Choosing to make better decisions about where to allocate my time & choosing to get up from my desk and move more.

Little choices that add up.

With food, it’s been about speaking up and speaking out. At restaurants, I focus on meals that are better for my eating regimen. I ask them to make substitutions or not put things on my plate.

I take charge of my eating.

I say no to dessert.

Then I go home and have some fruit.

It’s a daily struggle to make good, healthy decisions, but it makes me feel stronger and healthier.

Most importantly, I am an active participant in my health. I make choices. I don’t sit on the sidelines and accept things as they are. I change things.

If something doesn’t work for me, I speak up.

And to me that’s what makes a woman beautiful.

When she takes charge of her life and charts her own course.

Whether it be with her health, her career, her social life, or her family.

A beautiful woman knows how to set boundaries, embraces no, and learns when to say yes to the opportunities in her life.

To see more inspiring posts, please visit: Beauty of a Woman Blogfest 2015

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