Epictetus: Inner Excellence Matters More Than Outer Appearance

This chapter from The Art of Living hits closest to home for me. I am female, and having a child even furthers my self-consciousness about the way I look. Since my baby was born over a year ago, I have struggled to lose the extra pounds I gained when I was pregnant. It has been a real challenge for me, and one that I face everyday. Deciding what to eat and what not to eat, especially during my hectic schedule, can be difficult. And going straight from work to school in the evenings with only Wendy's and Taco Bell in between does not help matters. But I am making excuses for myself. I go in and out of phases where I will go to the gym everyday, but then hit a roadblock that makes me feel lazy and like I don't want to exercise. All of this adds stress to my life and it is even worse when I can't find clothes in my closet that fit (that's the start of a bad day!) But the main point is, I shouldn't be so worried about what people think of my physical appearance, because it's what is on the inside that really counts. And what Epictetus says about women is absolutely true--from the time I was in my early teens to before I was noticeably pregnant, I would receive compliments from the other sex regularly. Now, not so much. But I need to recenter and concentrate on what's important in my life right now, and that is graduating with my Bachelor's Degree and getting into a good law school. No matter what I look like, I will succeed in life. I just have to try to push aside any negative thoughts that might push themselves to the surface regarding my appearance.