Be kind to yourself.

One of the main reasons I studied exercise physiology, psychology and kinesiology was because I have always been fascinated by what our bodies and minds can do - how we move, how we grow, how we learn, and how we evolve. We truly are astonishing creatures and need to pat ourselves on the back for all of the amazing things we CAN do!

As humans, we can be our own worst critic and too many times we beat ourselves up for what we CAN’T do. Negative self talk doesn’t help and is counterproductive. What if you turned that negative thought into something positive and thanked yourself for all of the CAN DOs?

No one has the perfect diet or exercise regimen and everyone slips and falls at times, whether you see it or not. The key is to get up, dust yourself off and move on; not beat yourself up. Quit comparing yourself to others. We are all beautifully unique just like our fingerprints; no two are the same. Learn to love yourself for all of your idiosyncrasies and celebrate your own unique body and mind.

Even small baby steps can lead to great progress. For each step forward, there are sometimes backwards steps or falls. Go with the flow and progress will continue.

Most importantly, we cannot take care of others or work effectively without taking care of ourselves first. The first step is to love yourself, appreciate your body and to have respect for both. Your body can do amazing things! Embrace it! Once your mindset changes, the possibilities are endless. You deserve to be kind to yourself and celebrate what your body CAN do! Be kind to others, but more importantly, be kind and forgiving to yourself. ❤️💪