"On Becoming Fearless..."

I'm reading, "On Becoming Fearless," by Arianna Huffington.

She rocks.

The book rocks.

And pretty much she starts the book off with a chapter on loving yourself and your body.  No mincing, so beating around the bush.  Here's a quote:  "The most intimate relationship we'll ever have is with our own body.  It's the headquarters of our fears and anxieties.  It's also the cause of many of them.  Which is why we can never really be fearless until we stop judging our looks and accept them."

So, here's my personal apology to myself and to every other woman on earth I've ever compared myself to:

• I'm sorry I've been a hypocrite.  Sorry I've told you to stop comparing yourself while I've done it all along. 
• I apologize for saying I love you, while not loving myself, while quietly comparing myself to you, wishing I was more like you, therefore coveting your awesomeness.
• You are you on purpose.
• I am me on purpose.
• Self, I'm sorry I haven't ever been your biggest fan.  You really are great, and unique in many ways, so it's high time to start celebrating your individuality by embracing and celebrating the uniqueness in others.  
• I'm sorry I've looked at you in the mirror a zillion times and not complimented you.  Complimenting you isn't vanity.  It's embracing your uniqueness. 
• I realize that in comparing myself to you, even though I've thought it was an attempt at wishing I was more like you, I've discounted your gifts and strengths, and not genuinely delighted in them, but been jealous of them/you.  I really am sorry.
• I've enjoyed these last couple weeks with you.  You're pretty when you smile and laugh and aren't obsessing about that frigging scale and are literally just enjoying the moments with those around you...basically, you are pretty when you aren't obsessed with yourself...which is what your self-loathing has been disguised as...

And that's just chapter one...