My daughter Rachael sent me this picture. She said, “Mom, why do women beat themselves up so badly? Especially, when they are pregnant or after childbirth?” So true, and it caused me to ponder.
From fashion magazines, television shows, social media, to our inner circles and sometimes even in our homes—the PRESSURE is ON US, particularly, as women, to do it ALL perfectly! 😩 But I feel usually, our biggest critic is ourselves. The quote I’m posting clearly shows that the pressure of being a woman of perfection is being ramped up in all avenues of our lives. But this I know to be true, that the real key 🔑 to happiness and peace of mind is “LOVE.” My Mom always said #TheKeyIsLove. I even wrote a book about her concept. 📚🤣 Thanks Mom! ♥️
If you’re like me, I’m sure you may have hit a point in your life where you felt inadequate or worthless and that others have it better or the grass is greener on the other side. Fact is, everyone goes through some form of self-criticism or self-bullying. Why is it that we are the first to defend a loved one when someone bullies them, but who’s there to stand up for us when we harass our own self-confidence? Have you ever thought of that?
Even the Savior encouraged us to be perfect in His Sermon on the Mount:
“Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)
The Hebrew definition of “perfect” is, “Having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it possible; to be free from any flaws or defects in condition or quality and to be faultless.”
Honestly, with all my imperfections, quirkiness inadequacies and all the mistakes I’ve made, I know I won’t hit perfection in this lifetime but we can certainly attempt to try and achieve it. 🤣 I’ll be lucky to hit adequacy. It’s ok, though. We’re here on earth to gain knowledge through life‘s experiences, and hopefully stay focused on the desire to PERFECT ourselves day by day, step by step, a little at a time. And thank goodness for the eternities! 😂
Through our Savior’s infinite grace and beautiful gift of the atonement, it makes our life much easier to start clean after a big fall and attempt this desire to continue to perfect ourselves.
Self-doubt, heavy criticism and evil thoughts that we will “never measure up” can only come from one terrible source. Let’s give the adversary (or ‘Scratch’ as I call him because he’s irritating like a rash) a thumbs down 👎 and start giving ourselves a big thumbs up! 👍 It’s time to stop believing that we will never be good enough and start boosting our self-worth! ☺️
Our family friend friend Jeffry R. Holland explains true perfection best:
“Our only hope for true perfection is in receiving it as a gift from heaven—we can’t “earn” it. Thus, the grace of Christ offers us not only salvation from sorrow and sin and death but also salvation from our own persistent self-criticism.”
Remember, perfect or imperfect, God does not judge us. He loves us for who we are and for what we can become. God knows we WILL all become PERFECT... eventually! So this Sunday maybe ponder upon our desire to know... that we can do it too!!! 😉 #Happy #Sunday... I love you all! 😘♥️