These hips don't lie

The "real" deal. (No body editing, no makeup, no hair done, no problem)
First things first, if you're going to start a journey you must know where you're starting from. Whether you're planning on going from A to B or A to Z, its no good if you don't know where "A" is. Sometimes, it feels like we've gotten so far off the beaten path that we're just lost AND beaten ourselves. Its scary to take a "real look" at yourself physically, emotionally, spiritually, the list goes on and on. This new direction I've taken has forced me to focus on many of these very things, but today, I focus on the physical.

In my line of work, I take pride in making people look good through my lens. Correction, my lens is only half of it. Honestly, I could make the broadside of a farm animal look couture ready with enough PS, that's Photoshop for any edit-challenged readers. You can't find a publication, photograph, advertisement etc that hasn't been edited or "touched-up" before hitting the shelves. While it does make for a pleasant viewing experience, it has absolutely changed our view of men, women and the world but most tragically - ourselves.

Endless comparisons and judgements are freely handed out as we flip through our favorite rag mag. Its a sad and unrealistic standard to constantly be putting ourselves under. I don't know about you, but for a very long time, I had a serious FEAR of posting real pics of myself publicly. By "real" I mean, untouched, un-shopped, just me, the way I be. It wasn't until this month when I made myself stand in front of a mirror and face the facts. Every time I edited a picture of myself before posting it, I was basically saying "This isn't good enough, I'M not good enough". There was a great deal of power and security that came with every stroke of my airbrushing tools and shading techniques. Slimming, tucking, stretching, brightening, lifting - all tricks of the trade but all hiding the truth, all hiding the real deal.

You know the difference between truth and facts, right? Unlike truth, facts are changeable.

FACT: I am at my all time heaviest weight

TRUTH: I have the ability to change that

FACT: I have gained and lost 100 lbs twice in my lifetime

TRUTH: God can help me lose it and keep it off (Phil 4:13)

FACT: I have a long way to go

TRUTH: He will give me the strength I need (Isaiah 40:31)

So, how does this tie in with knowing where your journey begins? It's time to get honest. The more edits or "truth hiding" we do to ourselves, the further into denial we get and the more likely we are to put off change. Change is the only constant thing, so why fight the inevitable? Sure, you can be an ostrich and bury your head in the sand, but over time, you're gonna be an ostrich with one FAT butt! (And not the good kind)

The funny thing is...who are we kidding?? Why is it we crop, angle and shadow ourselves on Facebook, all the while the cashier at Lowe's or Starbucks sees the full picture. All 360 degrees of us. Is it embarrassment? Fear of rejection? It is my strong belief that you can only fully accept and love yourself once you've given into His love for you. Learning and REALLY believing that He sees you as perfect and lovely will begin to set you free from this self-loathing trap.

I'm not saying there is anything wrong with loving yourself the way you are. Self acceptance has been an on going battle I've faced for years. But, I am made in His image. The more I discover who He is, the more I am finding out who I am IN Him. Funny how that works. But, its the truth baby, and truth don't lie. This isn't about beating yourself up or smashing yourself into a mold thats two sizes too small. It's about being okay with where you are starting from, no matter how ugly, hurtful, embarrassing or shocking (believe me, you wouldn't want to be a fly on my mirrored wall) and then MOVING forward. Start today! Take a step in the right direction, even if you've only got your toe facing forward, at least you're on your way!