It’s Thanksgiving month, and that means our focus shifts to things we are thankful for. I’m sure the first things that pop in your mind are your friends, your family, your church, your God, and things of that nature.

Those things are all amazing, but guess what, you are too! As women, we tend to nitpick our bodies on a daily basis. Without even realizing it, we hate on our bodies day in and day out. How many times have you complained to a friend about your hips being too wide, your skin being too pale, your calves being scrawny or your arms being too flabby?

Sadly, I catch myself and my friends and family members caught in this trap. There is so much pressure to look a certain way and fit a certain mold. But today, just for a moment, I want you to shift your focus. I challenge you to think positively about YOUR body. I challenge you to LOVE the skin you are in no matter what the size, shape, or color.

I believe the Lord created each woman beautifully and in His image (Genesis 1:27). He created your arms that help you hug and love on your spouse, He created your legs that help you run and keep up with your child, He created your body to move and bring Him glory and he created your mouth that can uplift others and offer a warm smile to touch someone’s day.

Working in the world of fitness is one of the most powerful and uplifting experiences, and I so hope that I can help others take ownership of their body and take care of it the way the Lord intended us to. It also makes me highly aware of how we as women see flaws in ourselves that no one else sees, so with all that said I want to issue a challenge to each of you.

I challenge you to come up with at least 1 thing that you are thankful for about YOUR body or your self image. You are the ONLY person who can empower you to be positive about your body. Take that first step today! Please share yours in the comments below. Let’s use this as a way to encourage each other. Please share this with your friends on FB and invite them to take the challenge to be thankful for their beautiful bodies and personalities as well. Guess that means I’m up first then, huh? 😉 I’m thankful for a very welcoming smile and laugh that draws people in. I am also thankful to have a strong body that enables me to be able to workout and do things I love like travel and hike with my hubs!

Bottom line, we can't teach our sons or daughters to be thankful for their bodies if we aren't setting the example for them!