I spent so many years fighting myself and my body, believing perfection was the only way to a happy, healthy life. Boy was I wrong! If you read my 10+ Reasons I Love My Ugly Body post, then you know that my body is far from perfect…you should also know that neither is my life, hence the name I’mperfect Life! Life is full of ups and downs, choices we’re proud of and others we waste time wishing would have been different. We can’t go back and change the past, all we can do is move forward. We can start by practicing ATP.

As I’ve learned over the years, the first step to living a truly happy, healthy life is to learn to LET GO OF PERFECTION. If you expect perfection you will only be met with perceived failure. We only get to live one life, so embrace the one you have and make it the best you can.

Start by letting go of perfection, follow the 12 Rules for living a happy, healthy, I’mperfect Life, and practice ATP daily…

It’s time to stop looking at our bodies as the problem and start treating them like they are the solution.

It’s time to stop this war that is tearing us apart and start creating peace within ourselves.

Wars don’t solve problems. Wars only beat one party down until they can’t fight anymore.

You have a choice, you can continue the war you’re having with your body until it can’t fight anymore or you can call a truce, make peace, and create change.

I hope you’ll choose to do the latter…

It’s time to forgive yourself– guilt and shame are not motivators.

It’s time to appreciate yourself– loving, caring, nurturing, trusting and accepting where you are right now.

It’s time to get excited about the possibilities!

It’s time to educate yourself- knowledge is power!

By forgiving, appreciating and educating you will have no choice but to grow and become the person you want to be.

It’s time to start practicing ATP

At this moment, right now, I want to you to close your eyes (well in a minute after you’ve read the following…) and follow these steps:

1) Apologize to your body for all of the negative things you’ve said about it.

2) Thank it for doing its job of keeping you alive, despite how you’ve treated it.

3) Promise your body that from this point forward you will appreciate what it does for you every day that you will listen to it, love it and nurture it because you realize that without it, you would not be alive.

I want you to do this every day for the next 30 days. In the shower, in the car, walking through the parking lot, and lying in bed at night.

Creating a strong mind/body connection is absolutely necessary for life-long health and happiness. It’s what will free you from living in a body you don’t love and allow you to live a life you do love.

Bodies are smart.

Minds are powerful.

Making them work together is where true health and happiness lies.