If you missed it earlier, I announced that I will be revisiting the topics discussed during the 30 Days of Self-Love. Many newer readers have shown interest. I also believe the topics discussed can always benefit us. So, I will re-publish one of the topics each week on Sunday evening to guide us into the week. I hope its enjoyable for all, newer and older readers alike. Time for topic one!

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When trying to decide what topic would best suit the start of self-love reflections only one thing came to mind. Confidence. Confidence portrays so much beauty and strength, yet somehow always seems just out of reach to achieve. Why? Because we don’t believe we deserve it or fail to see what we have to feel confident about.

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That’s right. We each have something in which to lay confidence. All of us have unique strengths and qualities that we should not ignore or gloss over, but instead lift up into the light and proclaim as our own with pride and joy.Those things which we can take ownership of in confidence come in many shapes and sizes. You can see it in your mad cooking skills, your ability to make others laugh and laugh with them, your giving of love for a friend/spouse/child, your ability to push your body in a workout, your smile, your good sense of style, your mind and ability to problem solve, your compassion on others, your go with the flow demeanor…ANYTHING!

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Do not forget your strengths by focusing on weaknesses, because we all have those too. BUT those do not define us. Our strengths define us. Something else to remember. You are stronger than you think. You may not believe so, but you have the power to change everything. You have the power to turn your life into something beautiful. You are reading this post and stepping out to love yourself more, then in turn love others more, and then have the potential to change more than you imagined. Yes, YOU! Each of us have that power and simply moving, or even desiring to move, towards a positive place speaks volumes.

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Be confident in what you can do! Trust in yourself and the changes YOU can make and that can happen in you. We all start somewhere. I did too. I knew I couldn’t keep half living and things didn’t change in one day. It hurt and many tears fell on my path. They still do. BUT I knew change was possible and that I could be that change. I did gain confidence in God, but I still had to do the actions. If I can do it, you can too. Take those steps and remember how wonderful you are. BE CONFIDENT TODAY! Tell yourself you can do this. You can change your outlook, your focus, the message you share. You can!

It's not who you are that holds you back, it's who you think you're not. ~Author Unknown

We have to learn to be our own best friends because we fall too easily into the trap of being our own worst enemies. ~Roderick Thorp, Rainbow Drive

Take a few moments to quietly reflect on confidence and recognize what you have to offer. You have something! Whenever you feel down, remember who YOU are and what you have to be proud of. What do you have to be confident about?

I feel beautiful today. No, I don’t have a nice outfit on or my hair done up just so. In fact, I’m still hanging out in my workout clothes from this morning’s at-home full body circuit that left me sweaty. Don’t judge.

Understandably, I feel more beautiful today than I did 5-6 years ago when I was at the peak of my binging issues. Not surprisingly, I feel more beautiful today than I did 2-3 years ago as I sorted through the mental muck and finally began feeling in control of my food and emotional struggles. And despite the occasional down day, I have felt more beautiful each and every day since beginning this blog.

WHY? Writing this blog forced me out of my comfort zone. It made me vulnerable. The act of putting myself out there so publicly has reinforced my sense of beauty more so than anything else. Every time I peel away another layer of myself I open up another opportunity for growth. I learn more about myself. I become more aware and more grounded in who I am. I see my true self staring me in the face and cannot help but to love her. To love me.

Each step I take where I embrace vulnerability and expose myself gives me strength. Remember me and my pregnant belly in a bikini out there for the whole world to see? Talk about vulnerable! And strong. I know it took guts to post that. Yet I have never felt more beautiful in any other picture.

Just as I have never felt more loved than when I confessed to Peter my struggles with binging and cried many, many tears on his shoulder. Just as I have never felt more hopeful than when I finally turned to God and said “I can’t do it on my own. Help me love myself like you love me”. Just as I have never felt more powerful than declaring my hopes and dreams for my personal future publicly, despite the doubt and judgment some may share. Being vulnerable isn’t something to fear. It’s something to celebrate. It helps you more clearly see yourself…and YOU are something to celebrate too.

This post is part of the Self-Discovery Word by Word blogging series, started by Ashley last month. Click for more details on how to participate with your own post.

• What ways do you make yourself vulnerable? How do they impact you? Feel free to link up posts of yours sharing a vulnerable, yet empowering, moment.
• What moments and situations make you feel proud of who you are?