Going Vintage: What's Your Visual?

This post originally appeared in August, 2009.

For years, women who want to get that "perfect bikini body" have been told to use visual reminders to keep themselves on track to meet their goal. You know what I mean -- remember those pictures of models in swimsuits taped to the refrigerator so you'd think twice before opening it? I may have imagined this, but somewhere I think there's a pig you can attach to your refrigerator that actually "oinks" when you open the door.

But I digress...

My point is that "visual reminders" (vision boards, anyone?) have long been touted as a useful tool in helping us meet our goals. But when's the last time you thought about a visual reminder to be kind to yourself?

I was thinking about this recently when I came across an interview with Ingrid Cole. She paints her pinky fingernail a different color in honor of her 14-year-old daughter, who was having some body image issues. The fingernail, she says, is "to remind her that she is beautiful and to remind us not to talk badly about our bodies."

I love that!

My own visual reminder is a photograph of my mother and I, taken on my wedding day (you can see it in this TODAY Show clip), that I keep on my dresser. Next to it is a photo of my daughter and one of my son. Every morning when I get ready, I look at those photos to remind me that life is short and it's the beauty of the relationships we create with those we love that really matters. Nobody cares about the size of my behind.

I do love the thought of a visual reminder that I can take with me and I may just adopt Cole's terrific idea. So if you see me out in public and notice that I have one sparkly silver toenail next to a row of red nails, you'll know. I'm keeping it positive.

What about you? What do you use to remind yourself to speak positively about your body?

Comments

[Jami]

You're not imagining the pig -

http://giftoy.tripod.com/oink.htm

[Dara Chadwick]

I was hoping I'd imagined it, Jami!