Well… we’ve made it! March is finally here. No matter what the weatherman or the calendar says, the first of March officially marks the beginning of spring (in my book anyway).

So here we go ladies. With the start of spring begins the turnover of retail fashion. Although the temperatures (in some areas of the country) are still frigid and snow lingers on the ground, the department stores fill with bright colors, flip flops, sundresses, and the hippest new sunglasses; all reminders that spring is right around the corner. But I forgot to mention one little thing… the one BIG thing, actually, that is probably on all of your minds. That’s right, bathing suits.

Tell me if you are with me on this: for many, spring also brings a certain amount of un-welcome anxiety. It happens the same way every year. We book our spring break plans early, usually in the fall. We think to ourselves, “I have PLENTY of time to get ‘skinny’ by then and look great in my swimsuit.” Then, life gets in the way. We have class, meetings, philanthropy, socials, work, school, and the list goes on and on and on.

Suddenly, as you’re glancing at the calendar to see when your next exam is, to your horror, you realize spring break is a mere four weeks away and you haven’t worked out in months. You panic. Run to the gym. Vow to eat only fruits and vegetables for the next month. Obsess and dread the pictures that will surface on Facebook immediately following your vacation; only to end up failing to reach the goal you had set, and going to the store and buying the bathing suit with the cutest matching cover-up.

Has this happened to anyone? I can bet it has. I can also bet that if this has happened to you, you did not enjoy your vacation to the maximum ability. Sure, you had fun. You have laughs, stories, and pictures to prove it. But, did you sit on the beach, breath deep, be thankful for your surroundings? Or, did you sit on the beach, suck it in, worry about the cellulite and rolls, and silently compare yourself to the other skinnier, tanner, and “more attractive” women surrounding you?

LADIES! ENOUGH!

We are so quick to feel this immense pressure as soon as we get to spring break time. Even if we were feeling pretty good about ourselves, the words “spring break” suddenly throws us into another realm. Instantly, we want to lose weight, get tan, and charge hundreds to our credit card to ensure we have the cutest outfits and accessories.

I don’t want you to continue this cycle. It’s unhealthy and it never works.

What can we do?

• Don’t lose track. If you were feeling pretty good about yourself and doing the best you can to keep healthy, don’t lose sight of that. Focus on your health, versus simply being thin. It’s impossible to lose a large amount of weight in four weeks. Eat healthy, increase your activity and focus on how you feel not how much you weigh.
• Say “no” to stress and anxiety. It is possible, no matter your shape or size, to find a bathing suit you feel confident in. We do not have to feel anxious about picking out a swimsuit. Do not rush or wait until the last minute. Plan and shop! Feel great about your purchase. Pick your favorite color or print and a cut that flatters you. When you walk out of the store with that shopping bag, you should have a smile on your face.
• Be in the moment. When you are lying on the beach, floating in the pool, or enjoying a sea-side meal, STOP thinking about your flaws or how you wished you would have lost ten pounds before coming on this trip. Focus on your friends, the scenery, and beautiful weather. You are lucky to be there; don’t miss out. Enjoy every second!
• Cut the negative! Focus on the positive! Friends don’t let friend fat talk. Need I say more?

As always, please share your thoughts, stories, and experiences with me!

Have beautiful and safe travels.

DL,

Stacy

Hope that somehow this year will be different. You will lost those ten pounds; you’ll get that new job; you’ll meet the man of your dreams.

As young women, we put so much emphasis on “the next step”. Far too often I hear women stress and agonize over what “could be”.

“Stacy, If I could just lose weight, I would feel better… I know it!”

“Stacy, if I met a guy who accepted me for who I am, then maybe I could accept me for who I am.”

“If I had that amazing job that my friend has, then I know I would be happy. She’s so lucky.”

ENOUGH ladies! This is our time. We can no longer put all of our wants, needs, and hope on what comes next. It is time to put energy, time, and acceptance in to what is happening right now!

There is nothing wrong with planning and goal setting to get yourself to the next stage. There is, however, a problem when you put all of your happiness and ’self-worth’ on the next step.

Let’s take ‘losing ten pounds’ as an example (since this is the one I hear most frequently). Many of us equate our worth and happiness to a pant size or number on the scale. When we do this, we miss out on what’s happening all around.

A young woman once told me, “I hate going to parties, going out with friends, and shopping. I feel fat at every moment of every day and won’t enjoy any of it until I lost the weight.”

This young woman was severely depressed and missing out on some of her most precious college and sorority involvement years. She missed meetings, isolated herself from friends, and even moved out of her sorority house to live by herself.

After meeting and talking with this young woman, I didn’t hear from her for months. She emailed me one day telling me she had started therapy and realized how much she had missed out on because she was so obsessed with losing ten pounds.

She had since re-focused her attention on the ‘here and now’ as she put it, and was feeling wonderful. She had been appointed a new position in her sorority and was more involved than ever. She told me that her sisters helped her to laugh and enjoy life again.

This young woman persevered and came full circle! She is a great reminder to me to never miss out; To always live in the moment and enjoy every second.

Like this young woman did, it is time for us to take a step back and re-focus. If we do this, we just might be able to achieve happiness right now; enjoy the journey and take it all in.

As we enter in to the last part of January, I invite you to re-evaluate the goals and resolutions you made on New Years Eve. As you work towards those goals of getting healthy or finding a new job, stop, taking a moment, and look around. Give thanks to where you are today and enjoy the steps along the way.

“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” – Arthur Ashe

Enjoy each and every moment!

DL,

Stacy

Stacy Nadeau is a brave Dove “Real Woman” who stood proudly along with 5 other women in her underwear in the summer of 2005 as part of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. Today, Stacy shares her experience in her keynote presentation “Embrace Real Beauty.” For more information about Stacy visit her website at  http://www.stacynadeau.com/