Grateful that I was brave via /r/gratitude

I have a hard time with my body image. I’ve worked really hard and lost over 150 pounds so I’ve got a ton of extra skin hanging.

No surgery or crazy diets. Just exercise and eating healthy. So it’s not as bad as it could be. But still, going from over 300 pounds to under 150 leaves a lot of “old me” still hanging on.

I never go around people with shorts on because of how my legs look. And same goes for tank tops because of my arms.

It’s been super hot where I live and the other day I decided I needed to step it up in my “I am beautiful the way I am” game. So I ventured out in a tank top when we went to Walmart and to get my hairs trimmed.

I was so worried that someone would say something about my flabby arms.

As I looked in the mirror before we left I was practicing my positive self talk. —
“You are not the shape of your body. These arms are proof of what you’ve accomplished. Proof of your transformation. Proof of your hard work. That’s not flabby skin. That’s your Angel wings. They flap because that’s what wings do. I embrace this part of me and show it to the world like a badge of honor.”

We left, went grocery shopping and I saw my hair stylist. Nobody looked at me funny. Nobody said anything mean. Everyone was nice to me. They still smiled at me when I smiled at them. It was a great day!!