Popular Social Media Post

I posted this picture with a blurb on my Facebook and Instagram.  

While I posted it for myself, I couldn't believe how many people needed to hear this for themselves, and how many people reached out to me.  I thought it was worth posting on my blog too so that I can always remember it.  Here's what I wrote:

Niko and I were talking about our inner critic the other day and how we need to be rooting for ourselves.  When I took this picture for Johnny yesterday I immediately looked at it and thought “ugh look how puffy my face is, I really need to lose weight.”  I quickly caught myself and realized if I expect my kid to be nicer to himself I need to be nicer to myself too.  I went into the deleted folder and looked at the picture again.  That time I saw my little freckles that I love and saw someone who looked genuinely happy & at peace.  I also saw someone who looked tired, but tired because I just spent the day at a job I love & playing at the pool with my kids.  This picture is now a keeper.

Here are some of the comments that were left:

-I love this whole post Erinne!!!  You are beautiful!

-Yes, beautiful inside and pit.

-I think you look beautiful!

-You're adorable.

-I agree.  You are a beautiful person inside and out.  I love your family and adore getting to interact with Navy every Sunday.

-I love this.  I agree we are often our worst critics.  Your picture is beautiful by the way.

-You're so beautiful, hope your family is well!

-These are great thoughts.  We all need to reflect first on how far we've come and not how far we need to go.  Instead of "I'm not perfect", but "I'm pretty darn good in these areas..."

-I love that you chose to believe truth and see the good in yourself and your life!  You're beautiful!

-You are beautiful Erinne!  I always see you with a genuine smile for all.  That's an inside/out kind of beauty.  Love you!

My friend, this lady is so BEAUTIFUL in every way, I love this post.  It's such a great reminder for me as well. 

-I love this so much Erinne!

-You are truly amazing, Erinne.  You always see good in others, glad you focus on all that is beautiful about yourself.

-Oh my goodness, I love this.  Because instantly, when I saw the photo and didn't read the caption, I thought, "Dan Erinne looks so gorgeous!"

-I see someone who is genuinely beautiful and a youthful face, not a puffy face.  Love this Erinne!

-Such a great message

-Before I read your caption I thought "look at her sweet smile, she looks so content"

- Erinne , that’s awesome you’re having that conversation with Niko and with yourself.  As we age (and hopefully mature) in our thinking process we come to realize that the journey is the test and not the goal.  The “ I need to lose weight” really should be “ I need to work on my self mastery & discipline and focus on those things that will improve my ability to love myself even with all the “imperfections” I may see in myself . You’re right, of all the critics, the self critic is the most damning and destructive. The best example to Niko and all your kids is for them to see you , working on you . Really that’s the only person you have control over, and by your example of self mastery those actions will influence those closes to you.  Recognizing your potential and understanding that you were not created to be average changes your mindset to become the person your creator knows you can become.  The sooner we realize we have everything at our finger tips to make incredible changes in our lives the more at peace we will be as we strive to reach for those things we thought were unreachable.