I Am Not....

A friend and I were recently watching TV and marvelling at Katrina Kaif's beautifully shaped legs with sighs of envy. You know those days in front of the TV where you act ridiculous and dissect who and what you see...yeah, those. Got me thinking of how many hours I would have to put in at the gym to get said legs. But the fact of the matter is even if I work out 24/7 I won't have her legs for the simple reason that I am not her! I could have the toned and muscular legs I wanted but a version of my own... I am not her and I will never be :)

For the same reasons I will never have Michelle Obama's arms, Angelina Jolie's lips, Tina Fey's wit or Roald Dahl's writing chops. I am not them. My attributes and talents are my own. The best I could do for myself is hone in on my talents and physical and mental traits and make them the best version I can for myself (if I choose to do so). And that is okay.

Another thing people often do, myself included, is look back and rue the days of yore. For example, recently looking at a stash of impossibly tiny clothes from college, I definitely felt a pinch. But I do realise however I work at my health and fitness goals, I am going to look like a version of what I am NOW and not something I was a decade ago. I am not that girl any more and will definitely not look like her again.... but you know what, that is kind of super too :) Just accepting that is freeing and allows me to enjoy my journey more.

It is so easy to get into the habit of wanting to look like, act like or be recognised in the way certain people (both celebs and those in everyday life) are that you forget how suffocating and limiting that is. How liberating it can be to be able to see yourself as all you are and then figure out how you can work with and make the best of what you have. Covetable standards in beauty and otherwise are impossible for the simple reason that you are not these people. You are yourself. With your own set of awesomeness and flaws, in all your perfectly imperfect glory!

This is not to say you can't discover new talents, interests and passions or that you can't push yourself physically and intellectually... but to simply acknowledge that you will be doing what you can as YOU!

Have you had any 'Aha' moments recently? Would love to hear what you think!