THE eys WITH KRISTIN KEYS TO SUCCESS, FINANCIAL FREEDOM, & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT THIS ONE’S FOR THE GIRLS! To my body: I am so sorry for the way I spoke to you. I’ve spent years upon years looking at you in the mirror and focus- ing on your flaws. I have had thoughts and said things out loud that I wouldn’t say to my worst enemy, yet I treat you like one. I pushed you to the brink. I didn’t let you rest when you felt weary. I wouldn’t stop the cleanse when you raged against it. I wouldn’t stop with the coffee when you needed sleep. I picked you apart, compared you to every other woman, and expected you to shrink after growing a human. I cursed the stretch marks. I cried over the scale. I judged you. I berated you. All to try to live up to a standard set by no one, but copied by everyone. I haven’t been proud of you, of your progress, of your beauty, or of your gains. Women, apologize to your body for the way you’ve treated her. You’ve consistently pushed her past the breaking point to please others or the imaginary version you think she should be. Your body is a blessing. It is beautiful. It needs rest, restoration, sweat, and hydration (water, not always wine). Be kind to your body, she is your only one. To my mind: I am so sorry for the pressure. I continued to let the doubt and negativity overpower you. I let the ideas of not being good enough, smart enough, outgoing enough, to stop you from your biggest desires. I tampered down the flame. I kept you quiet when you wanted to be loud. I kept you conforming to the social circle around you instead of letting you blossom to the woman you were meant to be. I let in fear, doubt, and overwhelm in on the daily and I let you believe it. I was wrong. I became a slave to the thoughts of comparison and envy. I apologize. Women, consider your thoughts. Thoughts are simply words INTHEVUE.COM | PROMOTING EVENTS THAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE | AUGUST 2022 21 that come across your mind throughout the day and you do not have to believe them. Your mind has a choice. Our thoughts are influenced by our circle, our family, our work. We must stand guard of our mind and what we ingest. With social media and televi- sion, we have lost our ability to sit quietly with our thoughts and explore what is true and what is not. What goes on in your mind is stopping you from becoming the best version of yourself that God has uniquely made you to be. Every time you want to speak up but don’t because no one else is, when you don’t sit at the table because there is no one that looks like you sitting there, when you don’t wear the dress because no one dresses up at work, you are dimming your light. To my soul: I am so sorry for putting you on the back burner, for putting everyone else’s needs ahead of you, for telling you you’re selfish. I heard you crying out for change. I heard your boredom, your gentle tug of excitement to try something, and would quickly suffocate you with tasks to be done: laundry, meal prep, more work, and less fun. I told you to suck it up and suffer when you wanted to quit the job and I forced you to the shadows in days of doubt. I apologize for denying you were a priority.
