Feel good in Your Own Skin

I choose not to wait for motivation. It seems when I have heard people speak of not being motivated they are talking about a feeling that will get them doing those things they need to do most. If I was to wait for that feeling constantly I would live on the dole reading comics and playing X-Box. Feelings do not just appear out of nowhere to suddenly inspire me to do work. I think motivation is a state of mind that comes through making good choices and experiencing success. I must chose to do those things I do not want to do.
One of my favourite comic artists and writers, Todd McFarlane, say that one of the keys to his success was never missing a deadline. Deadlines are a good motivator, as it seems easier to find the impetus to work when I have hit my deadline and MUST get it done. As this is something I am doing on my own then I am going to have to be equally as vigilant to meet my self-imposed deadlines. As easy as that sounds I have often found the immediate and urgent drown out the more important. By turning the important into the urgent I find a little more reason to get them done. Some tasks just do not want to be finished. Usual reasons apply: fear of failing, tired, do not want to go through the effort of problem solving... it is an endless list. The other part of this common problem of procrastination comes from the daunting scope of distance that must be covered. It is nothing new to suggest that any journey must be made one step at a time, yet this does little to help the self-esteem which has no trouble blaming you for creating the mess in the first place.
For instance, in our society more than any other, we have a growing problem of obesity. At risk of landing myself on that list I have chosen to change my current situation. As I feel each belt buckle tighten and each shirt magically shrink I am reminded of my failing to exercise more and eat better; most of the time this problem is born out of commitment to other facets of my life. Surely it is justifiable to eat fast food as I am on the run doing important tasks? Perhaps, but then I cannot complain when I give my boss a black eye by shooting a button off my shirt. Unfortunately for me I do not have an active metabolism. No end of sweet talk has managed to get it to work better. I have friends who eat only healthy foods when they have been properly battered and boiled in oil; yet do not attract an ounce of fat. I on the other hand put on weight just watching them eat. I am not alone in this condition. The reality is that I have this body and I must learn to steward it well; but to do that I must be comfortable in my own skin. It is no use to hate my body and then try to punish it with dieting; it will only turn into a feud between my body and my head. No, I must love my body as it is, and accept each and every kilo of it. If I diet it is for my good and exercise is to improve quality of life.
The self esteem I think plays a great role in determining my success from the outset. I will target it and seek to build it up. This means making choices to love myself and accept me as I am in this situation. Do I need to improve? Yes. Does it make me a failure? No. Am I less of a person for being in need of change? Definitely not. Are people better than me for not needing to fix the problems I have created for myself? How absurd. It should be the task of every person to learn how to be good stewards of their lives and reflect on their place in this world. After all, the unexamined life is not worth living. I think someone smart said that.