This major-linky-thing-that-if-I-don't-participate-in-I-will-feel all-left-out-and-un-bloggy-loved is today, Monday?
(I just found out about it last night.)
Sigh.
Bad timing.
I'm really not feeling the self-love right now. (Hey you, take your mind out of the gutter, I'm not talking about THAT kind of self-love.)
But right now, according to many women I know and admire (might I even say love?) who, like me, blog? I am supposed to be writing a list of things I like about myself.
For this linky.
Engendered by a post of The Empress's, about accepting ourselves despite our imperfections. Conceived and hosted by CiaoMom, who wrote up her own wonderfully empowering list already.
She says:
Today is all about celebrating who we are and what we like about ourselves. It is about sending a message to ourselves, to society, and even to our children, that finding the positives in yourself is an important and essential endeavor. Maybe just maybe, thinking about what we like instead of what we would want to change, will increase our self confidence. Maybe it will help us see things that we have not noticed before. And maybe it will send the message that we are ENOUGH just the way we are.
OK.
Sold.
Laying the doubting voices aside.
Telling my inner critic (who is damn loud these days) to take the freaking day off.
Cracking my knuckles.
Let's get down to business.
Writing my list of...
Two or Three things I like about myself:
1. I really like how curly my hair is. (OK, I borrowed this one from The Empress, but it's a start)
2. I like that I was really able to be there for my father while he was dying. That I was not afraid of either the intensity of the feelings or the heavy workload. That I bore it, and thus was also able to be there with and for my Mother in those difficult last three months.
3. I like my writing, that I feel I am really finding my writer's voice. (Wow, THAT was a hard one to write down and own, without feeling like I'm being somehow... unseemly, braggardly. But then, I spent nearly 30 years as a blocked writer and I do really like that I have broken through.)
4. I like that I am a fierce advocate for my children. That I am not afraid of the word Autism. That the moment I started to see that my son had issues, I have pushed for knowing (and doing). I never had a moment of head-in-the-sandness, not a drop of denial.
5. I like my affectionate nature. I am a warm, cuddly, huggy, hand-holding person. It's just a part of my nature, totally instinctive. If I love you? You will know it. And I'm going to touch you. (Unless you are a touch-averse sensory avoider, Then I will almost touch you, but hold back and just send my waves of affection to you through my eyes and words.)
6. I like that I am handy. I know my way around a tool box. I own a Makita driver-drill. I have put together Ikea furniture without cursing (unless they've messed up the parts, then I curse, A LOT).
7. I like that I am a loyal friend. That I go out of my way for people, that I take care of and stand by my friends. That I put myself easily in other people's shoes and act from a place of empathy.
8. I like that I am a connector, a community builder. If you have something to give away that she needs? Nothing pleases me more than helping you find each other. I love to find common ground. I am into much less than six degrees of separation.
9. I like how much I love my children. Unconditionally. With many hugs and kisses. And (on the good days) more patience than I would have thought possible.
10. I like the way I dance. I fully inhabit my body. I move with the music. I am playful with my dance partner. I am a joyous dancer. I really love to dance. (Note to self: Dance more.)
@@@@@@@
So, I made it to 10. That's more than two or three.
Considering how I feel right now? Major accomplishment. (Hey, maybe that's another one - I like the way I will rise to the occasion when pushed.)
Thanks to CiaoMom and The Empress for creating this wonderful pool of positive thinking.
And a special thanks to all the women who tweeted encouragement to me when I whined about not being in the right space to find the self-like last night.
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