Weight loss advertising

Recently as I surfed Facebook I say a sidebar ad fora weight loss product.  I looked for the exact ad but couldn’t find it again.  The tagline, which I wrote down because it bothered me, was “Finally free to be the real me.”

Like the banner shown here, the message is that until you lose weight, preferrably by putting a foreign object around the entrance to your stomach, you won’t be able to be yourself or to be confident.  Sigh.  Really?

It’s a rampant concept in our society that unless we are “perfect” we can’t be happy, we can’t be ourselves, we couldn’t possibly have self esteem.  No wonder 10 year olds are getting eating disorders!

It’s time to say STOP!  It’s time to say ENOUGH!  It’s time to say I LOVE ME JUST AS I AM NO MATTER WHAT YOU SAY!

I heard a song yesterday by Baz Luhrmann called “Everybody’s Free (to wear sunscreen)”.  One of the lines is “don’t read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.”  Yes!  Exactly!  We need to stop comparing ourselves to everyone else, especially those in magazines who are air brushed and spend hours in wardrobe and make up.

So I know you’ve heard this before.  You may have even said it yourself.  “I don’t need to fix anything in order to love myself.”  But do you really believe it?

The truth is, if you don’t love yourself as you are, you won’t love yourself when you make the changes you think you need/should/have to make.  I know it’s hard to look in the mirror when you’re 10-100 pounds over weight (or more) by conventional standards.  I know it’s hard when you don’t see the face or body you’d like to have.  We all struggle.  We all have things we don’t like.  AND we are perfect anyway.  We just have to convince ourselves of that after years of telling ourselves otherwise.  It’s a struggle, and it’s worth it.  It’ll work a lot better at allowing you to be the real you than losing weight, however you decide to do it.

Change the way you see, not how you look

• Give yourself positive messages in the mirror – look for what you like and focus on it.  Tell yourself what’s good about you.  If it’s hard at first, pick one thing.  As you get used to focusing on that one thing, more things will start to show up.
• Accept compliments graciously.  I can’t say this enough times!  The positive messages of others will eventually start to get the message through that you’re beautiful and amazing!
• When you hear old negative tapes start to play in your head say “thank you for sharing, I’m up to something else” and replace the negative tape with somethig positive.
• Give yourself a break.  Celebrate small successes, they build up to big ones.
• Tell yourself daily: I am amazing and beautiful just as I am – no changes required!  Even if you don’t believe it, eventually you will.

No surgery, no change in wardrobe, no new haircut will change your self perception forever.  They may make you feel better for awhile and eventually your old “not good enough” messages will start to play again.  Only doing the work to truly change the way you see yourself, no matter what you currently look like, will allow you to really “be free to be me”.  So get on it, will ya?

Be Beautiful, Be You

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

Look a likes by Franxoise Brunelle

I love listening to a certain morning show.  They play good music and always seem to have a discussion that starts off fun and ends up being thought provoking, at least for me.  Recently they were discussing the fact that currently 1/30 babies born recently were twins.  It wasn’t that long ago that the number was 1/150.  So, the thought was proposed, if the gap keeps shrinking, will there come a day when we all look alike?

Already, as seen in the work of Francois Brunelle (shown), there are people from different parts of the world who look remarkably alike.  I am reminded of how many times I’ve been asked “did you go to *blank* school?”, “did you used to work at*blank*?”, “did you ever live in *blank*?”   When I answer these questions in the negative, the response is, “wow, I know someone who looks JUST like you.”

This used to really bother me.  I always thought that I was pretty unique looking – except for the similarity to my mother.  How could there possibly be so many others out there who look like me?  Then one day someone showed me a picture of the person they were referring to.  Holy!  She did look like me.  Man, she was gorgeous.

Since then, I’ve seen other pictures of other dopplegangers.  I guess essentially although there may be billions of ways to rearrange DNA, there only so many combinations.  I’m sure all, or most, of us have had the experience of being told we look like someone else.

In my mind, it raised the question, what happens when we all look similar?  How will the purpose of plastic surgery change?  Right now people often use it to look more “perfect” or more like someone they admire.  But if everyone looks alike, what will it be then?  I can see people going in and asking for a different nose or chin so that they can look unique from those around them.

We have two conflicting desires in our human selves: to be accepted and to be different.  These fight for dominance throughout our lives.  Sometimes one or the other completely takes over.  I’m sure you know people who have been so concerned about making sure everyone else is happy that they never stand up for themselves.  On the other hand, you’ve probably known those who go out of their way to shock others or be noticed and may say on a regular basis “this is me, take it or leave it.”

The craving to be noticed is strong.  And we want to be accepted for our uniqueness at the same time.  It can be a little crazy making.

In the world of the future where everyone looks alike, I can see people striving to stand out in some way.  Especially when things become homogenized to the

Be willing to be different

extreme, people will find ways to stand out.

Do you feel like you’re getting lost in the crowd?  Do you feel like others don’t really understand you?  Do you feel like you need to start standing up for yourself more and stop pandering to others?  Do you want to make an impact in the world?

It’s those who are willing to be different that make the world more interesting and often a better place overall.  Every innovator has been laughed at and eventually emulated and copied.

My niece had the privelege when she was in high school to have my sister, a very talented hair stylist, as her step mom.  My niece is a very creative person (she just made her husband a Boba Fett touque with no pattern) and would always ask for unique hair styles.  Then, shortly after she came to school with her new hair, other girls would show up with similar styles.  It really annoyed her because her uniqueness was compromised.  She had to be reminded that it was a great compliment.

Whatever makes you you is wonderful.  Never let the small mindedness of others make you hide what is incredible about you.  Who knows, you may be an inspriation to others!

If you need a little help discovering and expressing your unique beauty, maybe it’s time to become a Grand Puma.

Go forth, kitties and Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

This Bad Kitty is not impressed

Did you hear about this?  A French dietician has suggested that the school system give  kids better final marks for being their “ideal weight”. 

Anyone else just go “WHAAAAAAATTT??????”

“It’s a fantastic motivator,” says Pierre Dukan.

For who?  The already fit and skinny?  Those prone to eating disorders?  COME on!!

Okay, I’ll give this guy a teeny tiny break.  Maybe a small percentage of youth would be motivated to take off a few pounds in order to get better marks in school.   But, I would wager, a very small percentage.  That small percentage who is driven by marks and not the many other pressures of high school.

For the most part I can see the ones who already feel they are less than worthy and unaccepted spiralling deeper into self loathing.  The last thing teens need is someone telling them they’re actually going to do worse in school because they can’t take off those pounds.  I’d call that extremely de-motivating for those who already feel badly about the way they look.

There are those who are naturally a little larger.  There are those whose metabolism hasn’t caught up yet.  There are those who are happier with a little extra padding.  There are those that just don’t care.  Whatever the situation, it’s no excuse to treat them as unworthy of the marks that they deserve.  It is even less of a reason to give the ones who a dietician or anyone else deems “healthy”, “acceptable”, or in some way better to get something for nothing.

This makes me vibrate! 

What France, and every other high school and junior high needs is self esteem and self love education.  Get people in the schools that teach the students – especially girls – that they don’t have to reach some mythical standard of looks in order to be successful, loved and worthy.

I don’t know of anyone, even the ones who those of us who felt less popular thought had it all, didn’t have something that we felt bad about while going through school – and maybe still do.  The head cheerleader might hate her nose.  The captain of the basketball team may be worried about whether or not they have the marks to graduate. The valedictorian might have an eating disorder.  We all have things we don’t like about ourselves no matter how together we may appear to others.

The Bad Kitty is impressed with self

These feelings often stay with us well into adulthood.  It’s time to take hold of those things we have been beating ourselves up over and know that, in the big picture, they really don’t matter.  We need to be able to look in the mirror and see what we love, not what we think is substandard.

When’s the last time you saw a lion in the mirror? 

When’s the last time you smilled when you looked in the mirror? 

When’s the last time you knew, absolutely knew, that you are perfect just the way you are?  If ever?

Don’t let any of the old tapes tell you that there’s something sub-par about you.

Tell the Pierre Dukans of the world to piss off.

Look in the mirror and KNOW that you are amazing and beautiful just as you are; no changes required.   Really, you are. 

Hugs, Christie

http://www.beingsensual.com

Kitty Love - the sad side

Warning, this video may break your heart.   Sorry, I can’t embed it, so please click on the link and watch it before you continue reading.

To think a cat, in general a solitary animal thought of as aloof by many, trying to revive his friend for two hours.  The white cat wouldn’t let anyone near his friend until he had tried to revive him.  When he finally gave up, he left and the humans nearby took the black cat away.

This cat, probably a stray, who has likely been screamed at, chased and had things thrown at it – a BAD cat – has such love for a friend that he simply can’t seem to let him go.  No one could dissuade him from his attempts to keep his friend in his life.  I’m sure these friends had fights.  They probably smacked each other around from time to time, but when it comes right down to it, they were obviously inseparable.

As I’ve said many times before, we are like cats.  We are unique and beautiful with our own personalities and quirks.   Here is one side I never thought about before.  Cats can be very loyal and full of love.  Just like us.  We may have been told many times that we are “bad” or told so in other language (inappropriate, wrong, stupid, and so on) and yet we continue to love and look for love. 

It’s time to be a Bad Kitty with your love!

Kitty Love - the sweet side

• tell those you love that you love them, no holding back
• even when someone you  love pisses you off, forgive and keep loving
• never give up on those you love – they may not do things you like and you may need to set boundaries and be tough, and through it all, never stop loving them and letting them know you love them
• take time for yourself when you need it – a time out so you can keep your energy and joy in loving (note how the cat took a breather)
• no matter what others do to you, always keep your loving attitude – when you let the negativity of others overtake you, you are the one who loses
• when you lose someone – by death or other circumstances – take the time to grieve, you need it
• even if you love them, if someone treats you badly, disrespects you or otherwise makes you feel small or worthless, let them go

Bad Kittys love.  Show your love.  Don’t waste another minute.  You never know when it might be too late.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

Hugs, Christie

http://www.beingsensual.com

This is how it feels to put yourself first!

It’s almost here.  Another year comes to a close as we greet the new one with anticipation.  This is always a challenging time of year.  So many of us go into a new year with high expectations hoping that this will be the year that they don’t fall apart after the first month or two.   Many of us look back on the previous year and see where we’ve failed rather than where we’ve succeeded and hope that, somehow, this new year will be different.

I am all for knowing where one might feel the need to make a change.  It’s a law of nature – you’re either growing or dieing.  The question is, WHY do you want to make this change?  Is it social pressure?  Is it trying to be a “better” person?  Or is it from a place of already loving yourself, already accepting yourself and wanting to express who you are more completely?

In case you didn’t guess, I’m all over the last one!

One of the most common New Year Resolutions is to lose weight/get healthier.  It’s why attendance at gyms spike in January.  It’s also why they decline in March.  For most people the resolution is made because they think they have to do it in order to be a better person, to be more accepted, to be more attractive.  This motivation can die quickly when things become hard.  On the other hand, when you already love yourself and accept the way you look you make a choice out of a powerful place.  “I choose to be healthier/release weight so that I have more energy to do the things I love.” 

The end result may be the same but the intention will carry you a lot further.

I have a challenge/suggestion for you, make this simple resolution:

I resolve to put myself first this year.

This will mean different things to different people.

• taking a full day off every week
• going for a pedicure once a week
• taking a walk every day
• meditating
• going to yoga
• sleeping an extra half hour
• getting someone else to cook dinner once a week
• delegating to kids/hubby/co-workers
• reading
• taking a class
• listening to music
• going to a retreat
• removing toxic people from your life
• pursuing a passion
• taking up an instrument or craft
• watching the sunrise/sunset
• shopping for yourself (not the kids)
• speaking your mind
• breathe
• play
• tea out on the deck

There are so many ways to put yourself first.  The key is to make the effort! 

What the world needs now is for each of us to be who we truly are, and to bring our gifts into the world. Don’t hold back any longer. Be Present, Be You. That is enough. Really it is.  ~Nancy Bishop

If you need a little help, The Bad Kitty is here for you.  Check out the GRAND PUMA MEMBERSHIP that begins in January.  This offers monthly classes, bi-monthly events and a myriad of other things for you to do to put yourself first.  It costs very little and gives  so very much.  You deserve it, kitty!  This is your year to PURRRRR!!!

Give everyone a gift and treat yourself this year.  When you take care of yourself first, you have more energy to serve others and you have more joy in doing so.  You have so many others to take care of, be sure you are first on the list.  Your care of self will trickle down to the care of everyone else.  This is the only resolution you need.

Hugs,

Christie

http://www.beingssensual.com

How we want to feel when our sweetie gives us a gift.

There have been generations of conflict over the perfect gift between husband and wife.  Why is it, we ask, that he always seems

How we often feel when our sweetie gives us a gift.

to get it wrong?  The fact is that our minds simply work differently.

The other day I was listening to two morning DJ’s – one male, one female – talk about the gifts you never give your woman.

One item on the list was perfume samples.  But, said the man, they’re a great stocking stuffer!  No, said the woman, they’re not.  This prompted a call from a listener to inform all those poor men out there who didn’t know what to do now, that there is a set you can get at a certain drugstore with several small vials of different fragrances.  She can try each one then take in the gift certificate supplied for a 100ml bottle of her favorite.  This company must have a woman in their marketing department!

No kitchen appliances was on the list unless SPECIFICALLY requested.  Well, duh, we ladies think.  But what if the blender is broken and she always uses the blender, he asked.  Eyeroll from all the women listening.   A call froma woman demonstrated the error of this way of thinking.  She got a 4 slice toaster for Christmas one year because she had mentioned in passing that it would make it much easier to make toast for the family with a 4 slicer.  He was proud that he had listened to her (yes, kudos to you, my man) but she didn’t ASK for it for Christmas.  So she was pissed.  Most women don’t want something practical for Christmas.

Keep away from anything related to the kids, she noted.  Oh but a breast pump would be so thoughtful for a new mom, he said.  It shows I’m thinking of her, it’s something she needs.  It’s perfect were his rationalization.  His co-host was far from impressed.  A man called in and informed them that he had just that moment gotten a breast pump for his wife.  He swore it was perfect because she needed it, he got the best one out there and it was expensive.  Having a kid close to Christmas is apparently a good rationalization for such a gift.  The female DJ was so flabbergasted she didn’t even know what to say.

To me, this whole conversation was further proof of how our minds work differently and how important clear communication is at all times, and especially when there’s pressure to impress and “get it right.”

To men, if it’s practical and useful whether it’s reusing all those crazy samples the perfume girl gives you or a piece of equipment that will make you’re life “easier” then it’s a good gift.  To women, if it’s pretty and shows how much our man loves and values us apart from what we do, then it’s a good gift.

Ladies, sometimes we fail too.  How many times have you gotten your man a tool thinking “if I just get him a good drill because he keeps complaining about the old one, maybe he’ll fix that shelf.”  How many times have you given him the same old tie or shirt because you couldn’t think of anything else?  We’re not immune from misreading what our partner wants.

So let’s stop the cycle.

• Be CLEAR.  ASK for what you want, don’t hint or hope that somehow this year he figures it out.  Sit him down, show him pictures online or give him a specific list.  You know from experience that your hopeful hints dont’ work so don’t be mad when he falls short of your expectations.
• Get HIS list.  When you give your list, ask the same of him.  He may not be able to answer you immediately as he may never have had to think about his desires before, but keep asking.  NICELY!
• Be PATIENT.  Old habits take some time to change.  Don’t expect a miracle the first time out.  Keep coaching him and be forgiving.
• Reward the EFFORT.  If you roll your eyes, say “I knew you’d screw it up” or do anything else that makes him feel like a failure he will stop trying.  Thank him sincerely for what he does do and keep coaching and being clear until you get exactly what you’re looking for.  Make him feel like he’s a winner!
• Release the PRESSURE.  It’s so easy to get caught up in the craziness of this season.  Be sure to take time together to decompress, to have fun, to connect.  It’s all about love and togetherness.  Release the need for perfection and relax!

Happy Holidays kitties.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!  Know you are loved and love those who love you.

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

Be a GRAND PUMA!

Would you like to hang out with and get to know other wonderful, like minded women?

Would you like to learn more about yourself, experience more confidence and purr when you look in the mirror?

Would you like to participate in a number of Bad Kitty events but you can’t decide which or afford all the ones you want?

Then you are ready to be a GRAND PUMA!

Starting in January 2012, The Bad Kitty is offering The Grand Puma membership program.  For a low monthly fee, you will recieve the following benefits:

• Half price the first time you take any class offered by The Bad Kitty
• Once you’ve taken a class, take the same class as many times as you want for FREE
• Have a level 1 (Tabby), 2 (Persian) and 3 (Siamese) Girls Night IN Pole Party and get your party fee FREE ($40-75)
• Monthly video tip/dance move
• Think Outside the Litter Box 12 week teleclass
• Bi-monthly special event such as shopping parties, dancing, comedy, etc. – First event a PASSION PARTY on February 4.
• Half price on any Be YOU Coaching package
• 3 EBooks, The Bad Kitty Handbook and Living Proof book and Achieve Your Ultimate Success DVD FREE
• Half price summer and winter retreats.
• Special pricing on any new Bad Kitty Products
• Special pricing for select non-Bad Kitty events

$47 per month for all this?  You’ve got to be kidding!  No, we’re not kidding.

Join The Grand Puma Bad Kitty Membership and you’ll be in for a great year of fun, self care, confidence building, connection and getting to know your Beautiful Authentic Divine Kompletely Individual Totally True YOU! (That would be your BAD KITTY!)

This is a one year commitment.  You may begin at any time.

Are you ready for some big changes?  Contact The Bad Kitty NOW!  Christie@TheBadKitty.com or 780-893-9754

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

What's in your great idea folder?

Has this ever happened to you?

You have a great idea.  You are all excited.  Your adrenalin is flowing.  The thought of it makes you grin like a fool.  You know that this one idea will change the world, or at least your part of it.

You share that great idea.  Before you know it all your passion is gone.  There are plenty of nay-sayers telling you it’s been done, it can’t be done, it’s just plain stupid.  Or there are those who mean well who are trying to protect you from failure by informing you of all the sacrifices you’ll have to make, the difficulties ahead, the chances of failure.  Then there are others who dissuade you and take the idea for themselves.

There are many out there who, with good or bad intentions, are ready to piss on your dreams.

Often what we feel we need to  go forward is the approval of others.  In reality, all you need is the approval of yourself.

If it’s a good idea, go ahead and do it. It’s much easier to apologize than it is to get permission. ~ Grace Hopper

How many wonderful things would we be missing in our lives if everyone worried about making sure they had permission from those around them before going forward?

Steve Jobs is a great modern example.  Due to his willingness to stick to what he felt were the best innovations (and in some ways simplifications) of technology, we may still be listening to Walkmans and using clunker computers.  Without Thomas Edison we’d be sitting in the dark.  Without Graham Bell, the cell phone wouldn’t even exist for Steve to make changes to.  What about the “little” things like comfortable shoes, paper, tea, chocolate and so on.  Who ever thought of grinding up hard brown beans and running hot water through it?  I’m sure he got a lot of ridicule until  people got their first caffeine buzz.

The world has no shortage of great ideas.  Not only inventions, but changes in thought; Socrates, Galileo, Einstein and so many more.  In art; the renaissance, impressionism, even graffiti.   In every area of our lives, good ideas have led to innovations.

If, for some reason, your idea is not all that great, you can always ask forgiveness.  It’s much easier to say sorry than to work against those who won’t give your their approval.

Most of us naturally want others to like our ideas.  We want to be justified and given a pat on the back for how smart we are.  We want to be accepted.  But are you willing to change who you are, what you want and modify your great ideas for that approval?  If so, your life will be small and unfulfilling.

A man cannot be made comfortable without his own approval. ~ Barbara Walters

I’m on the patch right now. Where it releases small dosages of approval until I no longer crave it, and then I’m gonna rip it off. ~ Ellen DeGeneres

Are you ready to go forward and own your dreams, your good ideas, who you are, what you want?  Then rip off the approval patch now!

If you need it, here is my permission for you.

I know you have amazing things in your brain and your ability.  Stretch yourself.  Take a risk.  Impress yourself!  We need you to be everything you are.  And so do you!

Hugs, Christie

Be Beautiful, Be YOU!

www.thebadkitty.com

Is this really Confidence?

One of the most frequent questions I get is “how can I be more confident?”  We have so many things around us which can make us feel like we don’t measure up.  Our income level, our talent (or lack of) in any given area, our looks, how we act and so on.  It’s easy to take a beating if we let these things get to us.

There is a common misconception that, like this picture, confidence means staring down fear, difficulties and being bigger than any obstacle that comes our way.

Confidence is a basic need we all have to feel good about ourselves.  It’s not about feeling superior or invincible.  It’s simply, and with difficulty, about owning who we are, being comfortable in the knowledge that we all have strengthhs and challenges, taking our best foot and putting it forward every day in every way.

In the face of all the messages out there telling us that we’re not good enough, that we need to be better, how can we have confidence and know that we are perfect and beautiful just as we are – no changes required?

• Practice your sexy walk.  For those of you who have taken classes with me, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about.  In a nutshell it’s holding your head up, swinging your hips and taking long strides.  This walk, all on it’s own, as many of my clients have discovered, not only projects confidence, it also creates it.
• Do something every day that causes you to be impressed with yourself.  Do things that scares you, that takes you out of your comfort zone, that challenges your perception of self in a positive way.  Celebrate how well you did with the challenges you’ve given yourself.

Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again. Do better the second time. The only people who never tumble are those who never mount the high wire. This is your moment. Own it. ~Oprah

You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. ~Eleanor Roosevelt

• You’ve heard this one before over and over and it bears repeating until we all do it – accept compliments graciously.  Seeing yourself through the positive eyes of those who care about you will increase your confidence.  You will also start to notice that there are more people who see you this way.  Concentrate on the positive, and more positive shows up!

Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone (like yourself) or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life. ~Christiane Northrup

• Ask for what you want.  Learn that what you want is as valuable as all the requests that others make of you.  You are a Bad Kitty (Beautiful Authentic Divine Kompletely Individual Totally True YOU) so remember this quote:

Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.  ~Joseph Wood Krutch

There are those in your life who love you and support you and thing you’re incredible.  There are others who want to tear you down, most likely so they can feel

Be Confident

better about themselves.  It’s up to you to love and support yourself and know that you are incredible so that you can attract more of the former, less of the latter and live your life confidently on your own terms.

Don’t waste any more time wishing, comparing or whining.  Be YOU.  Be your amazing self and love everything you are.  It’s your responsibility to love yourself first.

Go confidently my kitties and be bold, beautiful and BAD! (Beautiful Authentic Divine)

Hugs,

Christie

www.thebadkitty.com

One happy family - is it only true in a fantasy world?

Yesterday I was listening to the radio and they asked people to call or text in to answer the question:  Who comes first in your family- your spouse or your children?  One woman called in to say her kids.  She insisted that she and her husband had had enough time together when they were dating and now it was all about the kids and if he didn’t like it, too bad.  I feel sory for her hubby – and her kids – because that relationship isn’t going to last long!  Another called in and talked about how her relationship comes first and how they make sure to spend time together every day, even if it’s only 10 minutes at the beginning or end of the day.  She spoke about how it made her family stronger and everyone happier.  Thankfully the consensus at the end, including texts, was that your spouse should come first.

I wanted to call in and give my two cents but couldn’t get through, so you get to hear it now.

For thosse of you who read me on a regular basis or have taken any of my classes, you probably already know what I’m going to say – the most important person in your family, the one you have to look after first, is YOU!

Love yourself first, and everything else falls in line. You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world. – Lucille Ball

As you may recall, one of the definitions of a Bad Kitty is: knows that by being true to herself she has more to give others.

Mommy needs to nurture herself.  Whether you put your kids or your hubby first, if you don’t put yourself first of all every thing will revolve around them, which can only lead to disappointment.  Tell me if any of these sound familiar.

• you want your kids to behave a certain way and no matter what you do, they just don’t seem to do exactly what you want
• you want your kids to go in a certain direction in their lives and they go someplace completely different
• you want your partner to do something for you and he doesn’t quite do it to your satisfaction

When we live our lives with others coming first and foremost, all of our expectations for ourselves become part of our expectations for them.  If we aren’t living up to them, how can we expect others to?

One of the fears of motherhood is hearing from your child that they hate you or that you’re a bad mom; that you failed somehow.  No one is perfect, but when you

No one wants to hear that!

pour everything you have into someone else and they dont’ respect it, ouch, that’s a big sting!

The only way to fight the inevitable hurt when a child throws something in your face, which will more often than not happen, especially in the dreaded teen years, is to have a life outside your kids.  Feeding yourself will be more of an example and more of a growth giver than all the pampering and special attention you can bestow.

This doesn’t mean ignoring your kids by any means.  The dreaded word “balance” comes into play.  Nurture your children, love your family AND be sure to do the same for yourself.

The name of the game is taking care of yourself, becasue you’re going to live long enough to wish you had. ~Grace Mirabella

I talk to so many women who have grown children who have no idea what to do with themselves.  The fact is, your child will grow up and become independent (moreso if you give them to  tools to do so) and you will be left wondering where the years went.  It’s up to you to keep your life your life in their younger years so you can enjoy it long after they move on.

Put yourself first, feed your spirit, love yourself and the gifts you want to give your family will follow.

Be Beautiful, Be YOU and allow yoru family to do the same.

Hugs, Christie

www.thebadkitty.com