EP. 290- Becoming beautiful to YOU {40th Birthday Reflections}

<p>I recently turned 40.</p> <p>Historically speaking, my birthday is <em data-stringify-type="italic">always</em> a time of reflection.</p> <p>This year as I entered my 40's - the birthday reflections were on STEROIDS.</p> <p><strong>In the midst of ALLLL my reflecting, there was a very specific and VERY POWERFUL message just for YOU.</strong> <img src= "https://a.slack-edge.com/production-standard-emoji-assets/13.0/google-medium/2728.png" alt=":sparkles:" aria-label="sparkles emoji" data-stringify-type= "emoji" data-stringify-emoji=":sparkles:" /></p> <p>For decades of my life...<br /> I was too afraid to be FULLY myself. I would do anything (and eat anything!) as long as I would go unnoticed.<br /> I would camouflage to anyone's liking. Modify myself to fit the 'part' or fit in.<br /> <strong>ESPECIALLY when it came to food and weight. People's opinions and 'rule following' were my prison.</strong><br /> I stifled myself to try to fit into the 'acceptable' boxes I believed I was supposed to fit nicely into...<br /> <strong>AND because I felt inherently flawed - emotionally eating at the end of the day</strong> (in those moments when I was finally by myself) <strong>felt like my ONLY escape.</strong></p> <p>NOW...<br /> I make the decisions <strong>based on what I want for my life (*MY VISION) and what I KNOW works for ME (*True Choice)</strong><br /> I love being me. ALL of me. So there's no need to emotionally eat about this, because I am living the life I <em>want</em> to live and being who I <em>want</em> to be.<br /> I'm a thought leader. A trailblazer. I'll go first. I'll be different. I'm not afraid to be seen and noticed.<br /> AND I refuse to shove <em>any</em> part of me <strong>that I LOVE</strong> (and have intentionally become) into a box for anybody. NOBODY.<br /> <strong>There's no price I wouldn't pay for THIS level of confidence and freedom that I get to live my life with NOW.</strong></p> <p>HERE'S WHY THIS MATTERS FOR YOU & YOUR GOALS:<br /> So many of you are...</p> <ul> <li>Afraid to lose w