you look good!

**Since I’ll be traveling next Monday and Tuesday, Tuesday Trainer will have to take a backseat again!  Sorry, guys!  I’ve already filmed a theme for the following week!**

I knew I’d find my voice again. 

How was your holiday??  I hope you ate watermelon (check), got some safe, sunscreened sun (check), spent time with family & friends (check) and partook in some adult beverages (yup).

Add swimming in the lake, throwing rocks at fish (because they nibbled your toes while swimming), eating FAR too many chocolate chip cookies and a morning walk to the list and YOU’RE ME.

(which is always a good thing, I think.)

The entire day was wonderful, but it was the morning walk that gave me a prompt. 

Before heading out, I posted this picture on Instagram:

Caption read: Taking an Independence Day from insufficient self love.  These are my legs and I’m starting to like them.

I’ll save the “learning how to love every piece of your body” for a different day.  That one will require much thought.  More than I have on this particular 4th of July day.

So that morning walk…

Clara and I headed out early.  No boys allowed. 

We needed to gab.

We must have passed five or ten people before the idea came to me.

In fact, had I remembered to bring the headphones which still lay in my “Take Me” spot by the door, this walk would have been something completely different.  A run of the mill one.

Headphones close you off.  (Good for the gym.  Bad for walks.)

For one mile, Clara and I talked amongst ourselves.  She has a lot to say on the following subjects: 

(dead air, birds cheep)

Ok, she doesn’t really talk.  Except to ask for food and to repeat back every.single.word you say in a way that is incomprehensible to anyone but her brother.  And (I hope) herself.

So, I’m listening to jibberish, pushing that stroller as only a true power walking mom can understand, when we come up behind an older woman, half walking, half jogging.

Immediately, I notice her calves.

Rock hard and wonderful.  Calves I’d love to have.

As we pass her, I couldn’t help but say it.

“You’re lookin’ good!  And your calves are AMAZING!”

Immediately, the biggest smile spread across her face and she began to tell me about how she’d been working on trying to keep her legs strong.

And that it was NICE THAT SOMEONE NOTICED.

I made her happy.

(I like doing that.  Always.  I’m a natural people pleaser.)

But this went much deeper than that desire to please. 

This was me being honest about something I found lovely.  Something that needed to be spoken.  Something that made us BOTH feel good.

After that initial praise, I couldn’t stop myself.

Every person we passed, if I saw something worth noting, I did.

“Nice arms.”  “I love your braids!” “That speedo really suits you.”

Those people were blessed.  I was blessed. 

And Clara was exposed to PURPOSEFUL PRAISE.

It was a grand walk.

One I hope to take many more times.  Purposely.

Me and my STRONG legs.

QUESTION:  When is the last time you were purposeful with your praise?  Try to do it today – give one person a sincere compliment!

**P.S.  Wanna see me and my legs in a bikini?!?!!?**

splendid…lindsay