Top 10 Tuesday!

"What if you made a list of things that you really like about yourself? We rarely allow ourselves to think like this... Until you know what you like and even love about yourself, you will have a hard time loving others fully. You'll have a hard time giving generously of your gifts and talents, and making your greatest contribution to the world. You'll second-guess yourself, hold back, stay small, and let others take the opportunities you wish you could have." ~Allison Fallon

I was trying to come up with a Top 10 Tuesday topic, then I saw Allison's FB status and thought, Why not!? I could use a confidence boost, and I want to do better at seeing the positives and not being too hard on myself. So at the risk of being considered crazy and/or narcissistic, here are the Top 10 Things I Like About Myself... along with 10 mostly-recent pictures that I like. lol

1.  I love and seek and depend on God! I'm obviously imperfect, but my heart's desire is to follow and obey Him. And in the ups and downs of life, He has rescued me and sustained me and been my God through all of it.

2.  I'm a genuine and devoted friend, daughter, sister, and aunt. I'm a natural encourager, and I care about and connect deeply with people... celebrating their joys, mourning their losses, and prioritizing their walk with God!

3.  I'm a great writer! I love blogging, and I think I'm good at expressing myself and documenting memories and connecting with others via writing (and someday I'll publish a book). :)

4. I am stronger and far more resilient than I originally thought! Life has hit me pretty hard sometimes, but by the grace of God, I'm still here, and getting stronger in the aftermath of every trial. I know it's not always good enough for everyone, but I like that I keep trying and that I haven't given up on life or God or myself and my purpose.

5. I have a good sense of humor! I laugh a lot and often find the little details of life entertaining and funny... and I randomly remember all kinds of quotes from movies and TV and real life, then I crack myself up with those too! :)

6. I'm beautiful. Definitely the weirdest one to write. Not "I'll be pretty when I lose weight," but I'm pretty right now, today. I'm fearfully and wonderfully made, created by God in His image, and healthy habits can fix everything I don't like. I have good teeth (thanks to years of orthodontic work), a bright smile I never take for granted (thanks to two rounds of Bells Palsy), light brown eyes that match Julia Roberts (Mom pointed that out and it was enough to stop my constant wishing for blue eyes - lol), good skin, one tiny freckle on my cheek that makes me happy, a curvy figure that'll be great when I tone it down a little, a sister with good fashion sense to help my anti-shopping self, and hair that looks good in a variety of lengths, colors, and textures! lol

7. I'm improving my physical health! I'm far from perfect here, but I'm gaining more balance, and I refuse to give up on my goals. In Tulsa alone, I have worked out with four personal trainers, joined three gyms, trained with friends, run three half marathons and several 5ks and 10ks, done well on Arbonne shakes and WeightWatchers, and learned to cook many new healthy recipes!

8. I'm improving my emotional health! It was an inner battle for a while, but I'm so thankful that I was willing to seek help when I needed it, and I'm doing so much better now after two rounds of counseling and taking antidepressants for about a year. I have a deeper walk with God and more grace for myself and others now because of that dark period of brokenness.

9. I'm a good listener. Listening and really hearing people and getting the full story is my favorite! :)

10. I'm artistic and creative! I'm a decent calligrapher, painter, sketch artist, poet, photographer, scrapbooker, piano player, singer, and writer (as mentioned above). I like trying new things in the art world; and I love to give thoughtful, unique, and often cheesy gifts to people I care about! Along with heartfelt letters, which are a must! =)

Cheers! ;-)

...I deliberately started and ended with Mon Ami Gabi pics! #yayVegas

Hmm, that was good. I feel better now. Ready to face our "Felony Tuesday" crowd with a smile. lol

Happy Tuesday!