Body Love: How I Pamper Myself

by Lulu
(Toronto)

Reader Post: As a single, stay at home mom, body love used to be the last thing on my priority list. I often find it hard to pamper myself. Considering that I am responsible for completing everything that needs to be done in my household, it can be overwhelming. Inevitably, if I have time away from the kids, I spend it catching up on laundry or trying to make money to pay the bills. But every once in a while, the desire to do something that will make me happy wins out over the "have-tos."

I have found that when I'm starting to feel bad about the way I look, it is time to improve something that has been left unattended. I can't think of a better way to practise body love. More often than not, the first signal that something is wrong is that my pants don't fit as well as they used to. I find that it often takes me a while to warm up to the fact that I must start exercising again. After I get into the routine, I always question myself as to why I let this important aspect of my life slip the wayside. For me, getting out on a long, brisk walk is the best way to increase my self-acceptance and reconnect with body love.

I have never been one of those people that get their hair cut on a strict schedule. In fact, I usually find that one day my hair is shapeless and lifeless and that's when I realize that a trip to the beauty salon is in order. Much like my experience with exercising, I always leave the salon wondering why it takes me so long to schedule an appointment. I love having my hair dresser fuss over my locks and tweeze my eyebrows into the perfect shape. I always leave the salon feeling refreshed with a renewed sense of self.

As I grow older, I realize the importance of pampering myself in ways that make me feel better about the way I look, my life and my future. Spending a little bit of time pampering myself inevitably pays off with a better outlook on life. Body love is self-perpetuating. The more I practise it, the better I feel about myself and the more I'm motivated to keep at it.