Kicking off 2012 with a bang was my intention this year.  But come the third week of January there has been little bang and more fizzle.

While I was expecting to be out living my life to its fullest, exploring all four corners of this lovely city, I have found myself exploring the four corners of my apartment and the four corners of my thoughts.  That’s right, I have spent the first part of the new year reflecting on a new me, a new attitude and a new motto.  Go figure.

New motto you ask?  What could I possibly be taking on as my new motto.  Well, it may not be as much motto as it is a statement.  A statement to myself.  I am going to continue my journey and focus on me but most importantly, I am bringing sexy back.

Mmm Hmm…Sexy back.  How you ask?

1. Walking with my head high and my cheeks clenched

I have always been guilty of walking and looking down at my feet. This began from a survival tactic.  Anyone who knows me would vouch for me here and say that it is important that I continue this pattern and keep with the stance.  The thing is I am far from graceful, I trip over invisible cracks in the street, roll my ankles and stumble on my own feet.  I have the regular bumps, scrapes and bruises to prove it.  But by assuming this stance when I walk has given me little confidence and in turn I rarely notice people walking by.

It is like I am in my little zone and I walk as fast as I can, as efficiently as I can. I realize that stooped look is not very attractive, nor is it approchable.  If I cannot walk down the street and look a complete stranger in the eye and smile, I don’t have the confidence to do much else.  I can never stop to smell the roses or take a cheeky peek at a good looking stranger.  Oh ya, and keep those butt cheeks clenched as a tight booty is always sexy.

2. Sway  

It is amazing how quickly when I walk with my head held high I automatically change the way I walk.  In fact, I begin to strut!  The hips sway, the feet are placed one in front of the other and I feel like I am walking straight down a runway in Milan.

Unfortunately, with this I always begin to envision myself doing the following:

One foot in front of the other, heel toe, heel toe, heel, heel, toe…and down I go.

3. Look good every time I step out the door

Even when you don’t feel good and you have to scrape yourself off the couch to go and get milk from the grocery store, never sell yourself short.  My style has evolved over the years and what I have learned the most is that whenever I leave the house I want to feel pretty.  That does not mean I have to be all tarted up to get milk, it just means that you put in the effort to leave the house for myself.

How many times are we out not feeling our best and we dread meeting up with an ex or that cute neighbour.  We hope no one see’s us.  Why should we feel that way?  If we do not feel comfortable leaving looking a certain way, change it.

I wore jogging pants outside last week for the first time in years other than camping.  I was amazed at how self conscious I was.  Don’t get me wrong, I did not look bad just far too relaxed.  But it made me realize it was the first time in a long time I choose comfort over style and I had no idea how important it was for me to feel good when I leave.

4. The muffin top is the best part of the muffin

I was having a conversation with a guy friend and somehow we started talking about the dreaded “muffin top” or love handles we get with age.  He immediately replied back saying that the muffin top is the best part of the muffin.  His response was so sincere, genuine and honest it will stick with me forever, even if just for a smile.

They now make muffins that are only the tops and it is the part that we save for the last and enjoy the most in the pastry, why not accept it about ourselves with the same appreciation?

Basically, what we need to take from this pastry is that it is not our physical appearance that is matters as much we market it.  How we own it.  How we love it.

5. Channel those sexy icons

Recently, a guy told me I was sexy.  While it feels good to hear someone you are attracted to be attracted to you too, it was something I am still getting used to hearing.  I find it hard to place myself in the sexy category with all the media images that are bombarded in my brain of what sexy is, so hearing someone I wanted to think I was sexy more than anyone else at that time felt pretty damn good.  Although I was shy at first, I am beginning to embrace it more and more every day.

People see the thin women portrayed as sexy as they are in every magazine, every movie, every form of entertainment.  But the ones that make the most impact and deemed as the sexiest ones are the curvy real women like Christina Hendricks, Scarlett Johanson, Marilyn Monroe and the original M.I.L.F Jennifer Coolidge.

You are as sexy as you allow yourself to be.  Sexy is a concept that only you can hold and embrace, no one else is going to do it for you.

Lessons learned!