So as things roll around in my head this seemed like a good topic for discussion in the singles forum. Those of you who know me well know that I tend to have impossibly high standards for everyone, especially myself. Sometimes they are clearly defined and superhuman (e.g. I should be able to forgive anyone anything instantly and shouldn't let it bother me), and sometimes it's just a vague sense of I can and should do "better".
Many of you also know that I've been working on losing weight. Recently I was even able to put on a pair of shorts (yep it's shorts season here already) that were the same size as what I wore 20 years ago in middle school (yeah I was fat then too, but its still a good feeling). But what baffles me is that I'm currently living in one of the 10 thinnest countries in the world (as measured by BMI), yet every local female that comes to visit us (and they are all pretty much half my size), when she sees her reflection she says something about how she is fat and needs to lose weight. Every single one of these normal sized girls is convinced she is fat.
So questions to discuss or at least think about (because this isn't about weight or forgiveness this is about finding the balance between accepting ourselves as we are now without losing the motivation to pursue good change):
Do you think there's a social stigma against full self acceptance? Are we encouraged to be negative and dissatisfied with ourselves?
How do you measure goals? How do you define good enough? How much power over your self worth does achievement or failure have?
How has your faith given you a more positive view of yourself? How has it given you a more negative view?
And other thoughts as applicable.
Many of you also know that I've been working on losing weight. Recently I was even able to put on a pair of shorts (yep it's shorts season here already) that were the same size as what I wore 20 years ago in middle school (yeah I was fat then too, but its still a good feeling). But what baffles me is that I'm currently living in one of the 10 thinnest countries in the world (as measured by BMI), yet every local female that comes to visit us (and they are all pretty much half my size), when she sees her reflection she says something about how she is fat and needs to lose weight. Every single one of these normal sized girls is convinced she is fat.
So questions to discuss or at least think about (because this isn't about weight or forgiveness this is about finding the balance between accepting ourselves as we are now without losing the motivation to pursue good change):
Do you think there's a social stigma against full self acceptance? Are we encouraged to be negative and dissatisfied with ourselves?
How do you measure goals? How do you define good enough? How much power over your self worth does achievement or failure have?
How has your faith given you a more positive view of yourself? How has it given you a more negative view?
And other thoughts as applicable.